Through the Eyes of a Striker
by GuardianDragon98
Summary: Erika the Night Fury rarely thought about freedom. For her, freedom from the evil Queen was nothing but a dream. That all changes when she and her mate meet two very special young Vikings and Erika proves that she is more than just a fighter...she's also a striker, hence her new name...Stryka. Companion to The Fiersome Chronicles.
1. The Raid

**Hello everyone :)**

**Since I am on summer vacation until August, I have had the chance to write to my heart's content. My update to Riders and Defenders of Berk will be this weekend, Milestones will also have another update at that time and HTTYD: Frozen Fire…well, it might take about a week or so.**

**I know that this is incredibly late posted but this is a companion story to "The Fiersome Chronicles". And to those, who might be confused as to who is narrating this story and why her name is different for the first few chapters, I suggest you check out Chapter 15 of my Riders and Defenders of Berk story.**

**Anyways, enjoy ;)**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**ALSO IMPORTANT NOTE: Bold **= dragons talking; Normal = humans talking; _Italic_ = both dragons and humans thinking

**Chapter 1: The Raid**

The Queen was hungry again.

As usual, Destin and I joined the others for another weekly raid at the nearby island where a Viking village had been standing for seven generations. The other dragons, Deadly Nadders, Gronckles, Hideous Zipplebacks and Monstrous Nightmares, were in charge of stealing sheep, yak, fish and chickens, really, whatever meat they could find except for human flesh for it was too great a sin for us dragons to take humans into the Nest.

But Destin and I served a far better purpose. We were tasked to attack the Vikings' long range weapons. The catapults were always our main targets for they were most abundant and the cause of most injuries to our fellow dragons.

We have always done our duties well and this pleases our Queen. Not that I care for Her approval. I mostly focus on just doing what I am told, along with Destin, so that I wouldn't be turned into the Queen's next meal. Destin and I were only mates for five moons when we had accidentally come across the caldera volcano and had become servants to the tyrannical Queen.

Over these past moons, my 15th as of now as well as Destin's, I have easily gained a reputation for being one of the most fearsome dragons in the Nest alongside my dear mate. Apart from our ability to serve the Queen well, Destin and I…are _Night Furies_, the unholy offspring of lightning and death themselves. Our speed is second to none, our aim is as straight as the arrows the Vikings try to pierce our hides with and our dive bombing strategy of attack, where our marks get to hear the near-deafening shriek of our blasts about to be fired before they realize that it's too late, have made us the most respected in the whole Nest.

Back to the raid, I flew on Destin's right and gazed at his handsome face. Nary a dragon will have the appeal of my beloved. His bright green eyes are so green I feel like I can swim in them. And his face, mostly stern and governing, is softened by the thrill of taking to the skies once again.

"**Where do you think the humans will have their catapults set up?" **I ask him. Destin's eyes narrows into slits as we approached the Viking village. **"No doubt that they will have them set up on elevated points in the village. Erika, you take the Southern portion of the island. I'll take the North," **Destin tells me, the sound of Vikings shouting reaching our ears as we, the mass of dragons, swoop down to raid.

"**Be careful, my love," **I whisper to Destin who gives me a quick nuzzle as we fly. **"I will, my starlight. We'll rendezvous on the northernmost part of the island where the cliffs are," **he tells me with great love before we fly off our separate ways.

Tonight, as usual, is mayhem. Many of us dragons have already been ensnared by the Vikings' nets or knocked out of the sky by their heavy iron bolas. I see a Viking couple, both with black hair, taking on Azul the Nadder and Hardheart the Gronckle. How I wish to assist them but I must turn my full attention to destroying the catapults.

Flying over to the South part of the village, I spot a few Vikings milling about a catapult they had set up. '_Sorry, but you won't be able to use that on me!_' I think as I fire a blast of plasma! "_Night Fury! Get down!_" the cry for when Destin and I are sighted sounds and the Vikings all run for cover as I unleash my wrath on the catapult, leaving nothing but splinters of wood and bits of worthless stone. In just mere minutes, I have destroyed all of the catapults in my designated area and have assisted my fellow dragons in taking the spoils.

But suddenly, my highly tuned ears detect the sound of some weapon of sort being launched…and I hear a very familiar screech.

"_**GODS DAMMIT!"**_

_Destin!_

With a screech of my own, I fly as fast as my wings can flap in the direction of my beloved's cry…hoping that nothing has happened to him…

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**The next update will come sooner than you think :)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	2. Violet Eyes

**Another update for this story. I hope you guys enjoy it :)**

**Note: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**IMPORTANT: Bold **= dragons talking; Normal = humans talking; _Italic _= both dragons and humans thinking/ dreams or flashbacks

**Chapter 2: Violet Eyes**

The branches breaking under my feet keep reminding me to be careful as I crash through the vegetation. But I don't care. All I care about now is finding Destin.

"**Destin! Destin! Destin, where in Thor's name are you?!" **I yell in the softest tone I can muster. Then my nostrils flare as I catch my mate's scent…along with rope. Destin has been captured! Following the scent, I finally manage to see the still form of my beloved lying on his side, bolas holding him fast. I am tempted to rush over to him but I see two humans.

One of them, a thin boy with reddish-brown hair, plants his foot on my mate's hind leg, making my blood boil, as he proclaims, "I have brought down this mighty beast!" before startling when Destin moves with a soft groan.

'_He's alive! Thank you Odin and Thor!' _I think gratefully before I see the other human, a black haired girl, approach the boy. "Okay, so what now?" she asks. Anxious, I watch the boy as he looked at Destin. His next words chill me to the bone.

"I'm gonna kill him,"

'_No! You dare touch one scale on Destin's head, human, I will end you!_' I think as I prepare to pounce. "I'm going to kill you, dragon…I'm gonna cut out your heart and bring it to my father…I am a Viking…I am a VIKING!" the boy shouts, provoking my anger even more. But, as I ready myself, I begin to sense the boy's hesitance. He raised the knife over his head while Destin moaned sadly and closed his eyes, accepting his fate.

Then the boy said, "I did this…" and, to my amazement, starts cutting the ropes ensnaring my beloved.

'_Is he actually sparing Destin? Does that mean he has no intentions of killing him and cutting out his heart? Or is he readying to spring a trap?' _I think before Destin suddenly pounces and pins the boy to the ground!

"HICCUP!" the girl makes her move, picking up a broken tree branch for a weapon and charges!

"**Oh no you don't!" **I snarl and burst out of the shrubbery and pounce on her! The girl falls to the ground and her weapon is cast aside. "Gaaacckkk! Aaaacckkk!" the girl underneath me croaks out, short of breath, so I adjust my hold on her.

Then my deep green eyes lock with the girl's and I am stunned to see that they were colored violet. Violet…like some parts of the sky sometimes looked like during the twilight.

For a few moments, I stare at the girl and she stares at me. Now that I have her in my clutches I can have a better look at her. To my shock, this Viking girl is a mere youngling. By my guess, she's only about 15 moons of age and rather small and lithe in stature. I can smell, much to my distaste, the scent of slain dragons on her so that meant that she was also a killer of our fellow dragons. But…there are other smells on her too. Good smells like flowers, fish and this other sweet scent…what was it? Oh, yeah, vanilla!

It's the eyes that get me the most.

Never have I seen such strange, yet, _beautiful _eyes. Violet eyes…I have never even seen a dragon with that eye color. This human youngling is clearly of a different sort. Her almond-shaped eyes, although currently filled with fear and apprehension, are expressive and have an energetic spark in them. And, as she stares up at me, I can see the fear and other negative emotions slowly ebbing away and being replaced with wonder and curiosity. She is fascinated by me…how amusing.

"**This girl is a mere child, Destin. As is the boy," **I turn to Destin, who has the boy pinned under him. Destin looks at the terrified boy, who I see has emerald green eyes, before he looks at me. **"He shot me down…but he freed me…This boy is not an ordinary Viking…" **he tells me and we both nod at each other. The Queen and all the dragons we knew always told us that if we encounter a human, we kill it on sight. But not this time. These two younglings we will not slaughter. Destin was willing to let this whole incident slide so I was willing to let it slide as well.

I look back at the girl, her deep violet eyes boring into my green ones, and I open my mouth.

"_**GO AWAY! LEAVE NOW!" **_I roar in her face before Destin and I turn tail and take flight. I resist the urge to look back at the girl as we fly. That's when I notice something about Destin's tail. One of his tail fins is gone!

"**Destin, your tail!" **I shout as we fly, my mate flying sloppily due to being unbalanced. Destin desperately tries to correct himself but then he spirals out of control, crashing into a cove in the forest! **"Oh gods…" **I mutter as I land in the cove and rush to Destin. He is dazed but, thankfully, unharmed as he gets back on his feet. When he sees his one-finned tail, he goes loco.

"**AHHHH! Odin above, my tail! My tail! How am I going to fly like **_**this**_**?! This isn't happening…this isn't happening…this cannot be happening! AHHHHH!" **he roars, running around in circles. I watch him freak out for a few minutes before I go to his side and smack him with my wing to make him calm down. **"Are you going to plot your revenge on the boy now?" **I ask him. Upon mentioning the boy, Destin scowls and swishes his tail in front of his face.

I wait for him to say something while also allowing my mind to wander back to the girl. For some reason, I can't get her out of my mind. Maybe it was those eyes of hers…they were pretty unusual…

'_I've never seen eyes like hers before…And the way she looked at me was strange, too…Could there be more to that violet-eyed girl than just a dragon killer? Come to think of it, she looked way too young to be on the path of violence…But I suppose growing in that Viking village would influence her…'_

My thoughts are interrupted when Destin finally speaks. **"The boy shot me down and robbed me of my ability to fly solo, Erika. He could have killed me earlier but he spared me. I have no intentions of getting vengeance…but I am rather pissed off and I hope he would just leave us alone," **he says flatly. Then looking at his tail again, Destin sighs and flops down on the ground.

"**Erika, you should go. Return to the Nest and try to find some help. If you can't, well…just let me die here…" **he sighs dejectedly. Rolling my eyes, I flop down on the ground right next to him and gently lick his snout. **"If you think I'm leaving you here just because you're crippled, Destin the Night Fury, you've got another thing coming," **I say, curling up next to him.

"**Erika, don't be ridiculous. I mean, look at me. I'm a cripple now. You deserve to be free, not tied down to the ground just because of me being flightless," **Destin chides me. I merely snuggle closer to him. No way am I leaving my beloved behind. I care about him too much. My love for him is unmatched and not even the Queen's control will make me waver in fulfilling my duties to him as his mate.

Besides, I promised him long ago when we became mates that I will never leave him.

_(Flashback starts)_

"**I just can't believe that we can finally be together…At long last, I have captured the starlight I've been pursuing for so long…"** _Destin whispered, nuzzling me lovingly. I giggled in the only way a lovesick dragon could. _**"Starlight…My scales** **don't even shine…"** _I whispered. Destin grinned and gently licked me underneath my chin, making me shudder with pleasure. _**"But to me, your **_**eyes **_**sparkle like a** **million stars in the night sky…"** _he whispered to me. _**"Will you love me even if I lost one of my star-like eyes?" **_I asked him curiously._

_Destin gently warbled, _**"Two eyes…one eye…even if you become blind, you will** **forever be my one and only, Erika…"** _and snuggled closer to me._ _I smiled softly at him and nuzzled him lovingly. _**"And I suppose I will love you even if you were grounded, my love. If you ever lost your ability to fly free, I will gladly fold my** **wings and stay on the ground by your side for all eternity…"** _I said softly._

"**I love you, my dear Erika,"** _Destin crooned. _**"I love you too, my brave Destin,"** _I crooned as well._

_(Flashback ends)_

I nuzzle Destin and smile softly at him. **"Like it or not, Destin, you are stuck with me," **I tell him. Seeing that there is no use in making me go away, Destin just sighs and curls up next to me. **"Since when did you get as stubborn as me, Erika?" **he asks me. I giggle and playfully smack his head. **"Since you and I became mates, genius," **I say as we decide to just bask in the sunlight. I have to admit that this cove was a nice place. Beautiful trees, fresh air, natural sunlight and a pond filled with fish…yeah, this is a pretty nice spot to just take it easy. If we had been free from the Queen and there weren't any obnoxious Vikings around, Destin and I could settle here and live peaceful lives…maybe even start a family…

We had both been separated from other Night Furies for so long that we don't even know where they are now. No doubt that other humans might have hunted them all down or chased them away. It's almost as if we are the last two of our kind…something Destin and I hope isn't true.

Destin is asleep now, curled up close to me and one of his wings draped over me protectively. Feeling sleepy myself, I rest my head on my front paws and close my eyes. I am out like a candle and dreaming in mere minutes.

_(Dream starts)_

'_I am flying free in the clouds. I do not see Destin but, for an odd reason, I don't mind. I am too busy having fun as I soar through the clouds, spiraling up, up, up and power diving down before pulling up as the sea appears._

_I roar in excitement and joy. For once I felt free, like any dragon should be. But then I hear a laugh._

_A human's laugh._

_Confused, I look around but see no human. Then I look down and I see, on a lone isle, the girl with violet eyes. She is smiling and her violet eyes are sparkling with joy. Some unknown force suddenly compels me to land in front of her. Once I do, the girl laughs and runs towards me. Startled, I try to do something to make her back off like snarl or roar. But, again, something keeps me from doing anything._

_Suddenly the girl throws her arms around me and giggles. I am stunned yet, also, liking this strange thing the girl is doing. It doesn't feel like she is trying to hurt me and it feels rather nice. Strangely, I find myself purring happily. Then the girl releases me from her strange hold and looks at me, her pretty violet eyes shining, and smiles._

"You are my friend…_My best dragon friend…_"

_(Dream ends)_

I wake up with a gasp and lift my head up only to find nobody but Destin, still asleep, beside me and no violet-eyed human girl in sight. Bewildered, I try to go back to sleep and succeed.

But I dream again of the girl with the violet eyes and hear her say the same words again. And when I wake up a second time, I do not try to sleep again.

Was I afraid? No, I was not.

It's just that…the girl's eyes.

They were always the same in both dreams – violet, full of life…and kind.

Until today, I had always thought that human eyes only had the negative emotions inside of them. As my mother, Magnhild, always told me: The eyes are the window to the soul.

And when I looked into the girl youngling's eyes, I saw her soul…and it was a kind and good one.

One thing is for sure to me tonight: That girl's eyes will forever be burned into my memory.

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**Yeah, I copied some parts of my "What Flies Beneath" story for this. It just felt like a good idea.**

**Read and review. Send me your wildest and craziest ones, they're usually the ones that I really like and inspire me to keep writing ;)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	3. What's a Bye-Bye?

**Another update. Enjoy! :)**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

* * *

**ALSO IMPORTANT NOTE: Bold**= dragons talking; Normal = humans talking; _Italic_ = both dragons and humans thinking

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**Chapter 3: What's A "Bye-Bye"?**

I am still awake when Destin finally wakes up. **"Morning, Destin," **I chirp and nuzzle him lovingly. **"Morning, Erika. Hey…did you get enough sleep last night?" **he asks, no doubt seeing the signs of sleepiness on my face. I quickly nod my head but yawn anyway. Blame the girl Viking and her haunting violet eyes! I could hardly keep her out of my mind.

To wake myself up, I make an excuse to go catch breakfast for Destin and myself. Dunking my head into the water, I easily snap up two and toss them far to the shore. I do this four more times until the fish stop coming and I catch a total of 14 fish which Destin and I share, seven for both of us. After our rather light breakfast, Destin begins the first of several failed attempts to fly on his own. I know well that he cannot because he needs both of his tail fins to properly maneuver and balance but I do not stop him. Instead, I watch with admiration as he relentlessly tries and tries to get airborne. After an hour or so, I try to help him by flying near him on his left side. This barely lets him stay in the air for five minutes in a hover before he goes crashing down when he tries to make a turn.

"**Thanks for trying, Erika. But I can do this on my own," **Destin tells me and nuzzles me. **"Okay. But if you need help, I'm right here," **I tell him and plop down to watch him continue his, I must admit, fruitless attempts to fly.

At one point, Destin flies up to a cliff wall…and I hear that voice again.

"Get down!"

The girl is here again.

I try to not look but can't help glancing up to see her and the emerald-eyed boy watching us from above. My keen eyes see something on the girl's back. Two sticks, about as long as one of my legs when bent, that probably serve as her weapons. _'She won't use that on me and Destin, will she?' _I think. Thankfully she makes no move to come down and fight us, and neither does the boy, and she merely observes. I see the boy take something out of his vest and another thing, a stick of some sort, and makes this weird hand motion on the surface of the first thing.

Before the girl sees me watching her, I resume watching Destin fail spectacularly for what seems like the umpteenth time in flying. But my ears are focused on the girl and the boy.

"Why don't you just fly away…?" the boy asks. "It's missing a tail fin, _Hiccup_. _('What a strange name for a human child!' _I find myself thinking_)_ He won't be able to gain altitude without a full set of wings," the girl tells him.

'_That is true. The girl is a smart one,' _I think when the Hiccup boy asks, "Well yeah…but what about the female?" and I then see Destin try to catch fish on his own, failing. **"Ugh, the gods hate me today!" **Destin groans. **"Oh, just hang on for a second…" **I sigh and dunk my head in the water. I catch a big one and offer it to Destin. **"And now I've driven you to catch my food for me…Gods, I am useless," **he sighs but accepts the fish. **"You're not useless, Destin. You're just missing one tail fin," **I remind him. He doesn't say anything and resumes his efforts to fly again.

That's when I hear the girl speak again. "She's his mate, Hiccup. Of course she wouldn't just leave him alone like that," she says. I feel a sudden burst of admiration for the girl. Already she knew that Destin and I were mates! What an intelligent Viking! And Destin and I have never encountered an intelligent Viking in forever. Most of the Vikings we fight, already at just one glance, we see are hopeless cases. But this girl and this Hiccup boy…they are smart ones and very special.

Suddenly I hear a '_thunk!'_ and Destin and I see something fall from where the two children are. I look up and see the Hiccup boy wince and the girl give him a look that clearly means that he had done something wrong and she is upset with him.

Then they see _us _looking at _them_.

"**Hello…?" **Destin softly growls, cocking his head to the side which the Hiccup boy does as well. I, on the other hand, lock my deep green eyes with the girl's deep violet eyes in a stare-off.

'_Who are you, human youngling? And why have you come back?' _I think to myself curiously, my head lightly cocked to one side. The girl stares at me, curious as well, for a little bit before she and the boy decide to leave.

When the boy leaves first, the girl gets up to go follow him…and does something that piques my curiosity.

"_Bye-bye!_" she says and does this strange thing with her hand, namely, moving it side-to-side. I slightly scrunch up my face as I puzzle this strange human hand gesture and try to copy it. But my paws do not have the bones or joints of that of a human and the best imitation I can do of the girl's hand motion is a jerky flicking of my front paw left and right. The girl giggles, just like in my dream, and leaves.

"**Bye-bye…?" **I mumble, confused, still doing the strange gesture with my front paw until Destin lumbers over to me and nudges me. **"Erika, what are you doing?" **he asks me. I get a little bit startled but regain my composure. **"Destin, what's a Bye-Bye?" **I dare to ask. Destin looks thoughtful for a moment. **"I think it's a human's way of saying goodbye," **he lightly shrugs his wings. I blink at him, surprised. And, then, I begin to wonder if the girl is never coming back…and I feel rather disappointed. I am rather curious of her now and hoping to learn more about her.

But…but that doesn't mean I am starting to _like _her! She is a human! The enemy!

…_Right?_

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Night rolls in along with the rain. Luckily Destin and I take shelter under a rock shelf, curling up together in order to stay warm. The thunder flashes across the sky with a deafening _'CRACK!' _followed by a loud clap of thunder. I whimper and snuggle closer to Destin and he licks me comfortingly. We try to sleep but the storm keeps us from doing so.

That's when we decide to just talk…about the Viking children we had seen in the Cove.

"**That girl called the boy **_**Hiccup**_**. It's such a strange name…" **I say. Destin doesn't seem so perplexed. **"I've heard of some things. Apparently Vikings call their children that when they are born early. Come to think of it…the boy **_**did **_**look rather small for his age. Either he **_**is **_**an early-born child or his parents do not feed him well enough," **he tells me. I nod before looking at my paw and do the strange gesture the girl did again just for fun. **"Bye-bye…" **I giggle and flick my paw left and right before looking at Destin, who is watching me with an amused look on his face.

"**What?" **I ask, a bit embarrassed. Destin just chuckles. **"What is it?" **I demand, a bit cross. **"You are curious about the girl human, aren't you?" **Destin asks me with a knowing look. I am unable to speak in my defense but make a good retort. **"Well, **_**you **_**were looking at Hiccup curiously yourself!" **I say. Destin looks thoughtful for a minute before he says, **"Well this Hiccup is a rather curious human. And that's what makes **_**me **_**curious about **_**him**_**. Same as you and the girl,"**

I have to admit that he is right. The storm begins to die down as Destin and I finally start to feel sleepy. **"Do you think we'll see them again?" **I yawn, closing my eyes. Before I fall asleep, I hear Destin say, **"Hopefully…But who's to say. They **_**are **_**strange creatures, humans…"**

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**The next update is going to be very interesting, I promise.**

**By the way, what do you think? What do you think of Stryka's thoughts and how do you find her perspective? Tell me in the reviews whatever you guys feel about this story and, if you have any suggestions for this story, tell them in the reviews too or PM me :)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	4. Forbidden Friendships

**Pretty late here in the Philippines right now so I decided to hurry and finish this new chapter. Enjoy :)**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**ALSO IMPORTANT NOTE: Bold **= dragons talking; Normal = humans talking; _Italic_ = both dragons and humans thinking

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**Chapter 4: Forbidden Friendships **

Our second morning in the Cove is uneventful, if you count out Destin's many epic fails to fly on his own. Sometimes I try to help while catching fish for our breakfast and lunch. But, other than that, the day passes by and we become bored.

It is late afternoon when Destin and I are resting on a small pile of rocks when something is spotted by our keen eyes.

A walking Viking shield!

"**It's them…" **Destin says, slightly amazed. **"They came back…" **I am astounded as I watch the shield get wedged in between two rocks and, from underneath it, the girl and Hiccup crawl out. My nose catches the scent of fish and my mouth begins to water. I glance at Destin and see that he is also looking a bit hungry.

Curious if the two Viking children have brought us food, Destin and I go down from our vantage point. The girl sees us first and gasps, alerting Hiccup and they both back away slightly. Hiccup is the first to offer his fish to Destin.

Destin approaches him cautiously before suddenly rearing back and growls. **"Destin, what is it?" **I ask him when Hiccup opens his fur vest and pulls out a small dagger! **"Weapon! Weapon!" **Destin and I both growl, now on high alert. I cast my eyes suspiciously over at the girl and I am relieved that I do not see those sticks of hers. She must have left them behind before she came here.

Hiccup holds out his dagger to the side. **"Drop it otherwise you won't get out of this place unscathed, scrawny one," **Destin growls. Hiccup drops the knife. **"Now get it out of my sight," **Destin motions with his head at Hiccup to drop it into the pond. Hiccup gingerly picks up the dagger with his right foot and flings it into the pond. Out of sight; out of mind.

Once we were sure that both Hiccup and the girl are unarmed, Destin and I relax and sit with expectant looks on our faces. I see the girl smiling at me a little. What is it? Was there something amusing about the way I sat or the way my face looked? Then she and Hiccup hold out their fishes. I am famished and had been thinking of catching some more fish but all the fish in the Cove's pond have gone into hiding. Then these two come with food. Odin, bless them!

We open our mouths, retracting our teeth.

"_Toothless…? _I could've sworn you had…" Hiccup manages to say before Destin and I reveal one of our Night Fury secrets.

'_Surprise, we can retract our teeth!'_ I think playfully as our teeth pop out! "Oh, Thor…" the girl says before Destin and I snatch the snacks right out of their hands! **"Yum! That hits the spot!" **Destin says in approval, gulping down his fish while I just swallow and lick my lips in satisfaction. "_…teeth,_" Hiccup finally finishes his sentence after we finish eating.

Then Destin and I look at each other. From mere glance we could tell that these two Viking children were in need of nourishment. Well, Hiccup does anyway. He is so thin! Are the people in that Viking village really that cruel that they would even let their children starve? The mere thought makes me angry at the adult Vikings for being such neglectful parents. My parents and Destin's parents had never let me and Destin go hungry. Even when food was scarce, they would always make sure that we had our fill before they had theirs.

I then look at the girl closely. She does not look as thin as Hiccup. She looks healthy enough, but perhaps she could also use a little snack. **"You feed Hiccup; I feed the girl," **I tell Destin, who nods. We both slowly approach the two. But they are afraid and back away in fright until they are against a rock.

Hiccup and the girl are both panicking, stuttering on their words. "We don't have anymore!" Hiccup says frantically. "I'm sorry, but we're fresh out," the girl says, her voice quavering. **"Don't worry, Hiccup. I'm not going to hurt you," **Destin warbles. **"Easy there, youngling. I just want to give you a little snack," **I croon soothingly. Then Destin and I regurgitate part of our fish into their laps. Hiccup got a fishtail from Destin while I gave the girl my fish head. They both look at us, not sure whether to thank us or get sick.

"**Go on!" "Try it!" **Destin and I encourage them as we sit on our haunches. Haven't these two Viking younglings ever eaten fish? Hiccup and the girl both look at each other, swallow nervously and they both take a bite. I watch the girl struggle to chew and, once she was done chewing, kept the fish in her mouth. Hiccup was doing the same thing. It looked like neither of them knew how to swallow.

Destin and I both swallow to demonstrate and, eventually, the two of them do. **"Good, right?" **Destin croons to Hiccup. **"Yummy, huh?" **I warble softly to the girl. They both smile at us. _'Oh, so a human smile looks like __that__! Hmmm…I wonder if Destin and I can try that…' _I think as I try and make my lips turn up in a smile like the girl while Destin tries to copy Hiccup's.

Apparently our efforts to smile make Hiccup and the girl curious enough to try and _pet _us! _'Oh, hold on there! I may find you interesting but I am __not__ going to let you pet me like a common dog, youngling!' _I think as Destin and I both snarl and leave.

"What do we do now?" I hear the girl ask. "Just observe. That was our original plan, remember?" Hiccup replies and the girl goes, "Oh, right!" and we don't hear another word from either of them.

'_So they are just planning to stay here and watch us…Alright, I can let them do that,' _I think and look to Destin. He looks slightly disgruntled but doesn't look like he's planning to go try chase Hiccup and the girl out of the Cove. **"Let's just leave them be, Destin. As long as they don't touch us then they're not much of a nuisance," **I tell him gently. Destin nods and we go to one corner of the Cove to, hopefully, relax. Destin and I ignore the two younglings observing us as we decide to just enjoy being together.

As unusual the circumstances, with Destin grounded and the two of us trapped in this place with threat of getting eaten by the Queen if we ever make it back to the Nest, it doesn't stop us from enjoying each other's company. I purr contentedly as Destin nuzzles me, warbling and crooning sweet words of love in my ear. After a while we hang about on some trees and, then, settle down on the ground to take a nap. As usual we warm up the earth with our flames, with Destin taking extra care to make my spot cozier than his, before we lie down.

Suddenly I smell the girl's scent lingering very close to where Destin and I are now and look up.

"Hi…" the girl wiggles her fingers at me in greeting. Hiccup is there too and waves at us.

'_Okay, you two are persistent…And that's, admittedly, admirable,' _I think while Destin sighs, **"Please leave us alone," **with the two of us covering our faces with our tails. Hiccup and the girl try again to touch us, which we do not allow once again,and we go back to the trees. For a while we are at peace and we have nothing to disturb us. Then Destin and I, like Hiccup and the girl, become curious and decide to watch them ourselves.

They are hunched over the ground, their backs to us, and holding sticks. **"What are they doing?" **Destin wonders out loud. **"Dunno…and, now, I'm curious,"** I say and we both go over to them. I see the girl drawing something in the dirt with the stick she is holding. Head…ears…eyes…they look familiar.

Then I realize that she is drawing _me_!

'_She is drawing me and Hiccup is drawing Destin! How interesting! They both want to create art in our images! I am flattered!' _I think, looking at Destin with a smile. He looks just as impressed as I am. **"Right, we can do that too! Right, Erika?" **Destin asks me. **"Definitely!" **I nod and we both walk on our hind legs to go uproot trees we can use as drawing sticks. We have both decided to draw our interpretation of the island we are currently on – from an aerial perspective. Destin and I, trees in our mouths, do our best to show the humans that we can also create art. I glance up at the girl and I see, to my delight, that she is watching. A swish here, a curve there, and a jab into the dirt and Destin and I are finished.

"**We did good, huh?" **I warble to my mate, pleased. **"Yeah, I'd say we're artists ourselves," **he croons. Hiccup and the girl stand up. The girl then says, "They're smart ones, I'll give them that," and Hiccup nods. They look at our art and…step on a line!

"**Hey!" **Destin and I growl, feeling very offended. The nerve of those two! Stepping on our artwork while _we _didn't trod on _theirs_! Startled, the humans take their feet off the line and we calm down.

Hiccup and the girl look at each other and they both smile. They step on the line again, making us angry _again_.

"**Do not step on the lines!" **Destin and I growl again, making them take their feet off the line once more. Before we know it, we are suddenly the object of the two children's amusement. With every step they take on the line, Destin and I growl a warning. And every time they step off the line, we calm down.

'_Stay off the lines! What part of that do you and Hiccup do not understand?!'_ I think in annoyance after a few more repetitions of this pointless exercise when Hiccup and the girl suddenly step _over _the line.

Destin and I watched in rapt fascination as they weave their way through our art, almost dancing, as they avoid stepping on the lines or bumping into each other. Finally they reach us, backs turned toward us. For a while, they stay still before turning around to face us. Again, I look into the girl's violet eyes and I can see the bright spark of life within her soul. She and Hiccup both reach out to try and pet us again but Destin and I snarl, still not trusting them.

'_I still don't trust you…' _I think suspiciously. Then the girl does something extraordinary along with Hiccup. They both look away and, then, stretch out their hands towards us. Destin and I are shocked and look at each other.

"**They trust us not to bite their hands off…? How incredible…" **I breathe out to Destin. **"Clearly they are not like the Vikings here…" **he tells me. Then after a minute, we nod to each other. **"If they trust us…" **I say before Destin finishes the sentence for me with, **"…then we can trust them,"**

Together, we place our trust into the two young Vikings. Destin nosed his snout into Hiccup's waiting palm while I gently place mine against the girl's. All at once, an unimaginable feeling of warmth and tenderness fills me. The girl's hand is soft, gentle…and so warm…like my mother's touch. I then feel something that I really shouldn't be feeling yet because Destin and I have yet to have hatchlings but I do feel it.

This girl was no longer my enemy…She was now someone I can care for as if she were my own hatchling…_my friend_.

'_I trust you…and I'll protect you…You are my friend…My friend…' _I think, trying to get my thoughts across to the girl. She finally looks at me and lowers her hand. Destin and Hiccup have also finished establishing their connection. We both snort, **"Come back tomorrow, okay? We'd be really disappointed in you two if you don't," **and we leave them be.

"Hiccup, something tells me that our lives…will never be the same ever again…" the girl says slowly. "You read my mind," Hiccup replies as Destin and I go to prepare for bed. Then we hear Hiccup exclaim, "Oh, Thor! We've been here all afternoon! We need to go!"

We look back at the two, who are climbing out of the Cove. While Destin retracts his teeth to make our bed, I see the girl linger and look at me. I suddenly feel the need to commemorate this amazing event, my first time touching a human, by firing a plasma blast that hits the center of the pond.

"Wow…talk about a _Stryka_…" she murmurs, making my ears prick up.

_Stryka…_

Is that what she is going to call me now?

Stryka…I like that.

When the girl is out of sight and so is Hiccup, I turn to Destin and smile. **"I have a new name now – **_**Stryka**_**. What do you think…**_**Toothless**_**?" **I ask, mischievously using the word Hiccup had first uttered when he and the girl tried to feed us. Destin looks at me, his face neutral, and then says, **"Let's just go to sleep…Stryka," **using my new name. I smile and curl up next to him. **"Goodnight…Toothless," **I yawn before we both fall asleep.

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**Erika slightly misheard Zenna's last word, just so you guys know. Zenna said, "striker" but Erika misheard and thought she said, "Stryka"**

**Anyway…read and review. Those two things make me very happy :D**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	5. A Human On My Back

**Another update to "Through the Eyes of a Striker" for you guys to enjoy :)**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD (No matter how much I want to -_-)**

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**ALSO IMPORTANT NOTE: Bold **= dragons talking; Normal = humans talking; _Italic_ = both dragons and humans thinking

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**Chapter 5: A Human on My Back**

Toothless and I wake up, hungry. We try to go catch some fish in the pond but, alas, all the fish have gone into hiding. Just when we think we're going to have to forego food for today, we hear two very familiar voices calling out to us.

"Hey, Toothless, are you hungry?"

"Stryka, breakfast!"

Toothless and I look at each other and smile. **"Alright, they came back," **I chirp, pleased with the girl. **"And they've brought food!" **Toothless says excitedly, referring to the smell of fresh fish that accompany our two little friends. Creeping out of our hiding place, we see Hiccup and the girl setting down two baskets and tipping them over.

Odin above, what a feast!

Hiccup and the girl smile at us as we tuck into the bounty. "We've got some salmon…" Hiccup told us. **"My favorite fish!"**I croon happily and snap up a large one. Yum, is it good! "…some nice Icelandic Cod…" Hiccup continues. **"Come to Papa, delicious one!" **Toothless slurps up the fish in one gulp.

"…_and a whole smoked eel,_"

"**WHAT?! **_**EEL?!**_**" **Toothless and I are in for the shock of our lives when we see that both of our breakfasts include the dreaded eels!

And if you're a dragon, those things are _not _good for you. Trust me, I ate an eel once and it ended up getting me sick and all weird. While the extra powerful plasma blasts I had shot out looked pretty cool in my eel-caused illness daze, it was a very rotten time for me. It was a good thing my parents found a way to cure me and upchuck whatever was left of that eel I had eaten.

Anyway, Toothless and I both growl and back away from the pile of fish upon seeing the familiar black-and-yellow body of those disgusting, slimy creatures. "Dragons hate _eels_…who knew?" the girl quips and she removes the eel from my breakfast. _'Uh, __I__ knew. I'm a dragon, for crying out loud!' _I think, rolling my eyes at her. "It's okay! I'm not much of an eel fan either," Hiccup tells Toothless and tosses his eel into the pond.

"I hate eels too. They look way too weird to eat," the girl tells me as I resume eating. _'Glad to know somebody, a human of all creatures, also sees the evil of the dreaded eel…' _I think before noticing that the girl is stroking my head. I look at her curiously and she smiles at me gently. I like what she is doing and I let her continue.

But when I see Hiccup get behind Toothless with this strange contraption, I stop eating and look back at him with my eyes narrowed into suspicious slits. **"What are you doing back there, Hiccup?" **I growl softly. The girl soothes me by gently stroking my nose. "It's okay, Stryka, he won't hurt Toothless," she reassures me. I see a hint of worry in the girl's eyes as Hiccup tries to keep Toothless from moving his tail around. Finally he pins my mate's tail down and attaches this contraption.

I see that it looks like a Night Fury's tail fin but brown in color. _'A tail fin…? Could it be…? Has Hiccup found a way to have Toothless flying again?' _I think excitedly. "Hmmm…Not bad…It works…" Hiccup mumbles to himself.

I look at Toothless and I nearly laugh at his awestruck look. **"I can fly again…I can fly again…" **he growls under his breath as he spreads his wings wide. "Uh-oh…" the girl says while I cheer, **"Go for it, Toothless!"** spurring him on!

With a _whoosh_, my mate takes off…with Hiccup on his tail!

'_Oops…Maybe he should have waited for Hiccup to get off…' _I slightly wince when the girl shrieks, "Open the fin! Open the fin!" as they soar over the pond, fly up and begin to lose altitude.

Before they both hit the ground, however, I see Hiccup open the contraption out wide. That's when I realize that the contraption is a fake tail fin that needs to be opened manually. It's not like a flesh and blood tail fin but, well, humans can only do so much. And when I glance at the girl, I can easily tell that she is a bit tired. She must have spent the entire night helping Hiccup make the tail fin.

Then I get a crazy idea.

'_It seems rather unfair that __you and I__ are grounded while the boys enjoy taking off into the skies right, youngling?'_ I smile to myself and then grab the girl by the collar of her tunic. Then, once I've hoisted her onto my back, I take off into the air!

"Ohhh, Holy Shields!" the girl shrieks and clings to my neck as we soar into the sky. **"Why are you scared, youngling? Flying is a thrill!" **I warble to her. The girl eventually relaxes and loosens her grip on my neck, her terror turning into awe, as we soar alongside Hiccup and Toothless. **"I'm flying again! Thank you, Hiccup! THANK YOU!" **Toothless cries out with joy. Hiccup is also joyful as he clings onto my beloved mate's tail. "Oh my…! I-It's working!" he shouts as he pulls on the leather tail fin, making Toothless do a banking turn back to the Cove.

"Yes! I did it!" Hiccup yells out with happiness, making Toothless glance back at him. **"Hiccup, what are you doing on my tail?! That's dangerous!" **he croons and hurriedly flicks him into the pond as we fly over it. I resist the urge to roll my eyes and laugh as us girls land on the shore while my mate joins Hiccup for a swim.

"Yeah!" Hiccup suddenly burst out of the water, soaked to the skin and fists pumped up in triumph, while the girl cheers, "It worked! Odin All Father, _it worked_!" and scrambles off my back, her hair windblown into a mess.

"That was incredible!" Hiccup exclaims as he and Toothless wade to shore. "Heck, yeah it was incredible! We rode dragons, Hiccup! _We rode dragons!_" the girl exclaims excitedly.

'_And we had humans on our backs! Well…__I__ had a human on my back, anyway…The girl enjoyed flying with me! I have to admit…that was pretty fun, too…' _I think as I watch the girl and Hiccup chatter like excited hatchlings. Toothless plods over to me and excitedly shows me the tail fin. **"Did you see me, Stryka? I **_**flew **_**again! My flight has been restored! Cool, huh?" **he warbles excitedly to me. I roll my eyes at him and playfully swish my tail. **"You **_**do **_**realize that you have no control over the tail fin and you need **_**Hiccup **_**to control it for you, right?" **I ask him. Toothless looks at me, unable to say anything, when we hear the two younglings speak.

"We'll need to make some adjustments, of course," Hiccup tells the girl, grinning. "Awesome, I'll see if I can sneak some materials out of my place," the girl smiles. Then they give us a good scratch behind the ears before they leave.

That leaves me and Toothless in the Cove…to imagine the excitement in store for us when our two younglings come back.

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**In the next chapter, Stryka will finally learn the name of "the girl".**

**Read and review ;)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	6. Our Little Humans

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING**

**Chapter 6: Our Little Humans**

Noon passed by quickly and Toothless and I are beginning to get antsy. Hiccup and the girl still haven't come back yet and we are wondering what's taking them so long. I keep busy by flapping about in the Cove, not really leaving the ground but just stretching my wings. Toothless, on the other hand, is curiously wagging his tail to get a better look at the strange contraption Hiccup attached to him.

"**Hmmm…Interesting…the way it's constructed makes it look almost like the real thing but it needs something to make it fan out in order to work…These humans sure know how to create such strange contraptions…" **he muses. I sniff the fake tail fin and I can smell leather, metal and soot…also Hiccup and the girl. The girl's scent makes me happy and I begin to worry why she hasn't come back yet.

"**Where could they be…? It's already afternoon…" **I wonder out loud.

Then Toothless and I hear them coming.

The girl must be happy for she laughs, "Oh, Odin that was rich! Did you see the looks on their faces!" and Hiccup also laughs and says, "I know! It was hilarious!"

'_They're here!' _Toothless and I both think and, once they arrive at the Cove, we tackle our two younglings to the ground and cover them with licks! Hiccup and the girl both go into hysterics, laughing and squirming while trying to make us get off of them. Toothless and I merely keep on giving them overdoses of our affection.

"Bwahahahahahahaha! Toothless, stop! I can't breathe!" Hiccup guffaws, wriggling about like crazy. "That tickles! Mercy! Have mercy on me, Stryka!" the girl shrieks. Laughing our dragon laughs, Toothless and I get off of the two. Hiccup and the girl get up and try to wipe our drool off. When they've cleaned up the best they could, they settle down on the ground. Toothless and I go to them and lie down, our heads resting on their laps.

"You two are so sweet…Were you both waiting for us?" the girl asks us. Toothless and I both smile toothlessly in reply. Hiccup smiles and strokes Toothless' head, my mate purring with contentment. "Okay, Toothless…Since we've started to trust each other, my friend and I here might as tell you and Stryka a little bit about us…" he says. "For starters, we might as well tell you our names," the girl says and looks me in the eye. I look at her, my ears pricking in curiosity.

"Well, first of, my name's _Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III_. My best friend, who is the girl with me right now, calls me Hicc. But most of the people in the village call me _'Runt', 'Fishbone', 'Toothpick', 'Useless'_…just to name a few," Hiccup says, his face somewhat sad. Toothless warbles in concern. **"Why would they call you such terrible things?" **he asks, although knowing that Hiccup cannot understand him.

'_Those other humans in the village are cruel…' _I think disdainfully. "Okay, Hicc, enough with that depressing stuff. As for me, my name is _Zenna Arrowhead Fiersome_. People usually call me _Zen_," the girl says, gently petting me. I wag my tail in delight.

Zenna.

_Zenna…_

The name sounds wonderful as I roll the two syllables on my tongue. Of all the names I have learned, Zenna is the most interesting name of them all. I coo and nudge my nose into Zenna's belly, hoping to let her know that I'm happy to finally know her name.

"Okay…you two might be mad at me once I tell the two of you this…My father…is the Chief of our tribe…He is…basically the man who wants you and all the other dragons gone…" Hiccup sighs. Toothless and I both look at him, alarmed. **"The Chief? You mean the human with the fierce red beard? He's your sire?" **Toothless rumbles in surprise. "Yeah, I know. Not much of a resemblance, is there?" Hiccup shrugs. Zenna pats his shoulder comfortingly. "Since he's the Chief, that makes me the heir to the tribe. But, honestly, my Dad, Stoick the Vast, doesn't even notice me. I look nothing like him, I'm completely weak and worthless. I screw up all the time…In fact, only Zenna and her family are the only ones who care about me…" Hiccup says sadly.

Toothless warbles and gently nuzzles Hiccup. **"Why would they treat you like that? You're next in line to becoming the tribe's leader and they're treating you like rotten fish? That's awful…" **he croons in concern. I nod in agreement and look at Zenna, who sighs and gently brushes Hiccup's bangs out of his eyes. Then Hiccup brightens up and scratches Toothless behind the ears and also gently strokes my head. "But…it's okay. Now that Zenna and I have met you two…I'm fine," he reassures us.

"There's the Hiccup I know," Zenna smiles before clearing her throat. "Alright…as for me, my Mom, Henna, and my Dad, Edgar, are really nice people. I think you two will like them. They always encourage me to be myself and to not let anyone else change me into something I am not. Hiccup and I are pretty close. We're practically brother and sister now and we always have each other's backs. But, before, everyone in the village thought we were boyfriend and girlfriend when we're really not. We're just really close," she tells us.

'_Oh…And here I thought she and Hiccup were mates…'_ I think and look at Toothless whom, I'm pretty sure, is thinking the same thing. Then Zenna looks at us curiously. "Do you and Toothless have siblings, Stryka?" she asks. **"Nope, only child here," "Same here," **Toothless and I reply, shaking our heads.

"Oh, I see…Well…I…I don't know if this will interest you two but…I have…_had_…an older brother," Zenna admits, her face turning sad. Hiccup sees that and scoots over to her and gently places his hand on Zenna's shoulder. "His name was Elias and he was the best big brother a girl could ever ask for. He was so kind, caring, generous and so brave. No matter what, he always did whatever it took to keep me and Hiccup safe. And he was so adventurous. The three of us always went on so many adventures…Then, when I was 12 and he was 13…there was a dragon raid…He died in battle…he was so young…" Zenna then begins to tear up.

Hiccup merely hugs her close to him and gently combs his fingers through Zenna's black hair. Toothless and I can't say anything for we are both feeling sad as well. We might not have siblings but we both know how painful it is to lose loved ones. We lost both of our parents to a Whispering Death when we had just become mates and it hurt like hell. But to lose a sibling? Toothless and I are ashamed to admit that we have never experienced anything like that.

Zenna sighs and wipes her watering eyes. I croon and gently nuzzle her. She smiles gratefully and hugs me gently.

"It's been three years, Stryka. Don't worry, I've accepted the way things are," she reassures me.

'_Even so, I feel sad. Your big brother must have been a kind soul just like you and Hiccup, Zenna…'_ I think as the four of us just stay there in the Cove.

For the rest of the afternoon, me and Toothless do nothing but bond and play with Hiccup and Zenna. We play tag, swim in the pond and play wrestle (_Toothless and I win all the time there!_) and we listen to Hiccup and Zenna chatter about their life in the village. We find out the reason they were both laughing when they came to the Cove earlier was due to them successfully pacifying a Hideous Zippleback with eels at their training that morning. Their fellow trainees were all stupefied at how they had managed to do well in training and they found it funny.

When Toothless and I try to picture that scene in our heads, we find it funny too and we laugh. Later, Hiccup takes out this strange thing called a _measuring tape _and he and Zenna measure our bodies so they could make these saddles later.

"**I wish they can understand us…" **I sigh wistfully. Toothless nods as he half-listened to Hiccup's story about the time he and Zenna once went troll hunting. **"If we** **somehow learn their human speech, then maybe we can communicate with them…" **he tells me. My eyes brighten at the prospect of talking human and I begin to listen intently, trying to pronounce the syllables and words in my head first before speaking them out loud.

Hiccup and Zenna continue talking and talking until they eventually tire and fall asleep with me and Toothless curled up around them with our wings serving as their blankets. I smile as Zenna stirs in her sleep and snuggles closer to Hiccup who wraps his arms around her. Toothless and I look at each other and smile.

"**They aren't mates but they sure act like mates," **Toothless says jokingly. **"They obviously have no problem in flaunting their sibling affection," **I giggle. Hiccup and Zenna suddenly stir, mumble incoherently in their sleep, and grow quiet. Toothless and I both nuzzle them gently.

"**I never thought I could see a human up close and now I have one snuggled up to me…as if she were a hatchling…And she's so wonderful, Toothless. I love her," **I sigh, smiling fondly at Zenna. Toothless smiles at me and gently licks my cheek. **"You're becoming a mother-in-training, Stryka…And I guess that means I'm training to be a daddy now too since I have Hiccup," **he chuckles. **"We'll protect them. When their kind fails to do so, we will be there," **I say seriously. **"Always," **Toothless nods in agreement.

Today, I finally knew the name of the girl. Today, Toothless and I have learned their story.

Today…we became brother, sister and parents…to our little human hatchlings.

**Read and review :) Those two things inspire me to write :)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	7. Bonding

**So sorry it's taken so long for an update. I hope you all enjoy this.**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

**Chapter 7: Bonding**

A day after Toothless and I made our pact, Hiccup and Zenna return to the Cove. As usual, Toothless and I happily greet them with toothless smiles. Then they show us these saddles. Toothless and I look at each other and grin. **"They wish to ride on us again!" **I say excitedly. **"But they gotta catch us first!" **Toothless laughs.

When Hiccup and Zenna approach us, Toothless and I playfully crouch and wiggle our rumps. _'Try and catch us first!' _I think as the two of us begin a game of chase around the Cove! "Hey!" Hiccup shouts and gives chase. "Aw, come on! Get back here, please!" Zenna yells, joining in the pursuit.

"**Yeah, not happening!" **Toothless laughs as we run around, evading Hiccup and the saddle with every turn. **"Come and get me, Zenna!" **I taunt as my human chases me. Zenna suddenly trips, making me worry, and yelps in pain. Worriedly, I go to her and see the wound on her right knee. Crooning comfortingly, I lick the wound and nuzzle her. Zenna smiles at me and, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, places the saddle on my back!

'_I've been duped!' _I think in surprise as I see Toothless worriedly approach Hiccup, who is panting from running around. No doubt that, since he is a runt, he easily gets tired. Then Hiccup places the saddle on my mate's back, much to his surprise.

"**You sneaky little Viking…" **Toothless rumbles as Hiccup gets on him. Then we proceed onto the more exciting part-flying!

The saddle feels strange but comfortable and it assures me that Zenna isn't having a hard time on my back. I smile as we fly around the Cove. Zenna is kind enough to let me maneuver which way I think is best while also opening my mind to new tricks like spirals and midair flips as she guides me with her firm but gentle hand. Toothless is doing well, too, as Hiccup pulls on a string to keep his left tail fin open. But then, Hiccup yanks on the string the wrong way while Zenna decided to get me to do a midair loop trick without holding onto the saddle.

_Splash!_

I wait patiently at the shore as the three of them wade out of the water. Toothless shakes the water off and licks Hiccup's hair, the boy laughing as he playfully splashes water at his snout. Zenna is giggling but she is also shivering slightly. I immediately make a makeshift fire pit with what stones and leaves I can pile up neatly with my tail and set it aflame.

"**Good thinking, my starlight," **Toothless croons and nuzzles me, using the old nickname he had come up for me when we were starting out as mates. I warble lovingly at him and lick his cheek. "You two must be really close…Lucky…" Hiccup says, looking a bit sad. "Hey, ease up, Hicc. You'll get Astrid to like you someday," Zenna smiles and pats his shoulder. Toothless and I both cock our heads at the mention of this Astrid. "In case you're both wondering, Astrid's another girl in our village. She knows how to wield an axe like nobody's business _and_, I may hasten to add, is Hiccup's future girlfriend!" Zenna says tauntingly. "Oh, shut up!" Hiccup playfully gives her a mild shove which she returns.

They stay with us for a little while as their clothes dry off and, when it is time to leave, feed us fish and give us belly rubs before promising to return tomorrow morning to feed us breakfast and, hopefully, sneak in a little flight or two outside the Cove.

They uphold that promise and, the next morning, we are flying out of the Cove. Hiccup and Zenna are wearing these strange leather clothes, which they explain to me and Toothless are riding vests, so they can stay strapped to our saddles. Hiccup had also figured out a way to modify the stirrup on the left side so Toothless' tail fin can open by itself. What ingenuity humans have!

Currently the four of us are flying over an open field. Zenna and I are trying this corkscrew maneuver and we just about got it when, suddenly, Toothless and Hiccup lose altitude and crash! Us girls immediately fly over to where they crash landed, where I see Hiccup standing up with a confused look on his face as Toothless rolls around in the grass.

The grass smells so wonderful that, as soon as Zenna is off my back, I bound over to a patch and start rolling around in it. **"Thor Almighty, this feels and smells so good!" **I purr, wanting to rub my entire body in the grass. **"Oh, yeah…Ooohhh, yeah…that feels good…really good…Yup, I'm in Valhalla right now…" **Toothless groans in pleasure. Whatever this stuff is, it is amazing! As we roll around in this heavenly patch of grass, Hiccup and Zenna gather samples and look at it.

"What should we call it?" I hear Zenna ask Hiccup. After a minute he says, "How about…_dragon nip_?"

Toothless and I purr happily. Dragon Nip is a good name. We approve!

"Okay, you two. Let's get back to the Cove before anybody sees us," Hiccup calls to us playfully. Toothless and I both look at him with pleading looks. **"Nooooo…Five more minutes…" **we both whine, making Hiccup and Zenna laugh. "We'll come back later. We promise," Zenna assures us. That sounds fair so Toothless and I get back on our feet and we fly back to the Cove.

"We'll see you and Stryka later, bud. But now Zenna and I have to go back to training," Hiccup says to Toothless while petting him. Toothless looks at him strangely, knowing fully well that what Hiccup meant by training he meant training in how to kill us dragons. I know this as well and look at Zenna carefully. _'If you are friends with us, then why do you two still continue to train on how to fight us?' _I think, a bit suspicious.

And, as if she had read my mind, Zenna replies, "We don't like learning how to kill your kind as much as we don't want to hurt you two. But if we stopped coming to training, people will know that something is up. And if that happens…" before trailing off and looking at Hiccup worriedly. He looks back at her worriedly but smiles a reassuring smile.

"Toothless…Stryka…we won't let that happen. No matter what, Zenna and I will protect you two," he tells me and my mate. And with a few pats on our snouts, they leave. When they're gone, Toothless and I look at each other and smile. We trust Hiccup and Zenna. They would never hurt us.

That same afternoon, our humans return and they have stories to tell. "And when the Gronckle charged at us, we quickly took out the sprigs of Dragon Nip we had stuffed into our pockets and held it up to its nose. We thought it wasn't enough but, when we looked, the Gronckle was practically in ecstasy!" Zenna recounts to me as she removes my saddle. Hiccup had already taken off Toothless' and is giving him a vigorous scratching. I laugh as I see my mate happily thump his tail and stretch his body out. Pretty soon, Zenna does the same to me and I love it!

'_Ooh…Ooohh, yeah, yeah, yeah! Right there! Ahhh…that feels nice…' _I sigh blissfully before I hear a _thud!_ I glance over at Toothless and I see him on the ground asleep, rumbling contentedly. "Whoa…" I hear Zenna breathe out before her hand scratches my chin and I know no more.

When I wake up I see Zenna holding her right foot while Toothless wakes up from his nap and tackles Hiccup playfully, the emerald-eyed boy laughing. Zenna sees me awake and smiles painfully at me. "You and Toothless both went down for the count when we scratched under your chins. Your head kind of landed on my right foot. Ouch…" she said, wincing a bit. Horrified at what I'd done, I go to her and gently nuzzle her aching foot. **"Sorry…" **I warble to apologize. Zenna smiles and hugs my head. "It's okay, girl. It was an accident," she reassures me.

They take us back to the Dragon Nip fields, where Toothless and I happily roll about in for hours while Hiccup and Zenna sit and talk about things that seem too complicated for even themselves. They talk about the plans for tomorrow, what kind of tricks they would try out with us, how to make Toothless fly better and, interesting of all, tease themselves with questions about life in a deeper meaning.

As I roll around in the Dragon Nip, I can hear the questions they ask but do not answer.

"What do you think Valhalla really looks like?" Hiccup asks.

"If we were to die from illness, do you think the Valkyries will still come for us?" Zenna asks this time.

"What could possibly be the true meaning of our place here? Do you think the gods just made us for their amusement over the trivial troubles of mere mortals?"

"Is everything really planned out by fate? Or do we have the option to forge our own path through life?"

Such great questions from such young individuals!

On another wonderful day, after they had told me and Toothless a story of how they used the discovery of our weak spots to successfully make a Nadder drop to the floor in training before things got nasty with that Astrid girl's axe, Hiccup and Zenna let us play around the Cove. Hiccup is busy looking over plans he had made for Toothless' tail fin and Zenna is just fiddling with her silver pendant.

That's when I see it.

This little dot of light that beckons me to come and get it. I wiggle my rump and pounce on it! But the light darts out of my reach! **"Come here, you…" **I growl a low growl and pounce again! This time I catch it and try to keep it in my paws but, to my amazement, the dot skims over my pitch black scales and evades my grasp! I hear Zenna say, "Hey, Hiccup! Check this out!" but I pay her no heed for I am trying to catch the light like a hunter chases its prey. Pretty soon I see another dot of light that Toothless eagerly pursues. **"Hold still my little glowing friend…" **my mate warbles as he also tries to catch the light. "This could be useful…" Hiccup murmurs.

After countless failed attempts to catch the lights, Toothless and I look at our humans and we see that _they _are the ones who made the lights. Zenna's silver pendant and Hiccup's smithing tool had created the lights we were playing with! They duped us again! In retaliation, Toothless and I pick them up and toss them into the pond! Hiccup and Zenna scream as they fall into the water with a loud splash while Toothless and I laugh and rub heads together.

Revenge is a dish best served cold and wet!

The next day, however, our two humans turn the tides in their favor by challenging us to a water war. Even though dragons prefer to stay away from water since it keeps us from lighting our fire, Toothless and I roar and shriek with delight as we playfully chase our humans in the Cove's pond. When they get tired of swimming, Hiccup and Zenna cling to us as we slowly swim about. On those hot summer days, we find comfort in the pond's cool waters and the crisp winds of the skies as we fly. The more time we spend together, the better Zenna and I fly. We can now do flips, spins, corkscrews and all sorts of tricks. I even let Zenna free fall off my back, as long as I am right behind her to catch her.

Then one day they arrive late. Toothless and I are already pawing at the ground worriedly when Hiccup and Zenna finally show up. I snort and nudge Zenna with a scolding look. _'Where have you and Hiccup been?' _I think before I see that my girl has a worried look on her face, almost as if she had seen something scary.

"We need to be more careful. If she manages to follow us next time…" Hiccup says as he attaches the newly-modified tail fin to Toothless. "…we are toast," Zenna finishes the sentence for him, making a throat slicing gesture, as she places my saddle on my back. Toothless and I look at them worriedly and lick their faces comfortingly. They laugh and the incident is forgotten.

Hiccup then leads Toothless to a nearby cliff overlooking the ocean, drives a wooden peg into the ground, ties one end of a rope around it and ties it to my mate's saddle.

"You're gonna practice flying _tethered _to that?" Zenna asks him as she and I fly up into the air and hover in front of our boys. "Yup," Hiccup replies and clicks on the stirrup to open the tail fin. **"We gotta practice first before we do some real flying," **Toothless tells me as he lifts off the ground a few feet. I roll my eyes at him and flap my wings to gain altitude. "Dude, if you wanna _really _fly, you gotta get up into the open air. As in go high up," Zenna laughs. **"My thoughts exactly!" **I nod as the two of us fly higher up into the sky and do a few spins in the air! "_Woo-hoo!_" Zenna whoops, exhilarated, and I roar with excitement with her.

As we swoop past the cliff, I see Hiccup constantly testing the tail fin. He pushes on the stirrup and Toothless lands. When Hiccup opens the tail fin a second time, the wind suddenly grows stronger and the rope snaps! Zenna has me go up and do a power dive so we can go over to them and check on them.

All of a sudden, Zenna is dangling upside-down in my face!

'_What the hell…?' _I think while Zenna mutters, "What the hell…?" in confusion. When I land, I stand on my haunches so Zenna can roll onto my back. Toothless shakes his head woozily as he gets to his feet, Hiccup awkwardly dangling by his side. "Oh great…" Hiccup groans. Zenna tries to get off of my back but something has happened to the safety line that tethers her to my saddle. That means she was stuck to me. Not that I mind. I like having my human around anytime.

"We're gonna have to go to the village for this," Hiccup mutters. Zenna merely stares at him with wide violet eyes. Finally she speaks. "You want us to bring two _Night Furies _into the _village _to repair their saddles in the _forge_?" she asks, stunned. "We'll do it under the cover of night. We just need to sneak into the village, fix the saddles up real quick and head out the back. If we're lucky, we won't attract any attention," he tells her. "If we _are _lucky…" Zenna points out to him.

Toothless and I can only gurgle in confusion as they lead us out of the woods. When we smell the scents of the human village, we begin to get scared. And the sky slowly darkening does nothing to calm us. But when I feel Zenna's gentle hand stroking my snout, I feel calm.

I can only hope that Toothless and I can make it out of the village with our precious humans alive tonight.

**Read and review whenever you all want ;)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	8. Into Enemy Territory

**Hi everybody! So sorry this took a while to update. I've been pretty busy :p**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**Chapter 8: Into Enemy Territory**

_So this is what a human village looks like…' _I think as I gaze around the strange-looking wooden structures that serve as homes for Viking families. Toothless and I are currently hiding behind one of these structures as Hiccup and Zenna try to keep us from being discovered.

"Hiccup." "Oh, hello, Zenna." I hear a man and a woman greet our Riders. When the sound of footsteps fades away, they pull us out of our hiding place. As fascinating as this Viking village is, I can still smell dragon's blood and weapons and their smells remind me that Toothless and I are in enemy territory. **"Can we go back to the Cove now?" **I whine, already feeling scared. "_Shh…!_" Zenna shushes me while Toothless goes the wrong way but is stopped when Hiccup yanks on the saddle's safety line. **"Nice place you Vikings have here. Cozy…" **Toothless warbles while I roll my eyes. Leave it to my mate to sometimes forget the fact that this village is where many of our fellow dragons have been slaughtered and think of it as _"cozy"_.

We both try to stay as quiet as we can while Hiccup and Zenna lead us to this strange place that smells of fire and metal. How do humans even make fire when they can't _breathe_ fire? It's all a mystery. This strange place, which I am fairly sure what Zenna said is a forge, is deserted so our Riders could fix our saddles in peace…hopefully.

"**Oh, a bucket! Got any fish in there?" **I turn my head to look at Toothless as he sticks his head into the bucket to look for food. **"Aw, nothing…" **I hear him mutter. **"Toothless, quiet! We're going to be discovered!" **I whisper in the loudest tone I dare before yelping as my tail accidentally knocks a barrel full of weapons down! **"Sorry!" **I whimper as Hiccup and Zenna put their fingers to their lips and shush us. Then they get to work on the saddles.

Hiccup and Zenna are just about done when we hear another girl's voice from outside.

"Hiccup, you in there?"

Toothless and I perk up our ears while our Riders look at each other in a panic. I see Zenna mouth, "_Astrid!_" to Hiccup, who quickly heads out to distract this Astrid girl. I start to get worried as Zenna hurries to finish repairing the saddles. Toothless begins to whine worriedly along with me and Zenna tries to keep us both calm. But how can we stay calm when there's a chance that this Astrid girl will discover us?!

Finally Toothless yanks Hiccup back into the forge. "_Fly for it!_" Zenna whispers urgently. Toothless and I don't need to be told twice and we make a break for it, running out the back and flying off into the night. "I _told _you this was going to be a bad idea!" Zenna exclaims as we reach the Cove. Hiccup looks relieved and manages to stay calm. "But we _fixed _the problem and no one saw us. That's what's important," Hiccup tells her as he scratches Toothless behind the ears.

"**True, but it was a close call…" **I rumble softly, Toothless purring and nuzzling me to reassure me. "I guess you're right. But if it happens again and we _do _get caught…" Zenna suddenly trails off. I croon with concern at her and Toothless tilts his head to the side. "Zenna, what is it?" Hiccup asks, his emerald green eyes worriedly gazing at my Rider. Zenna looks like she's trying to say something but can't seem to say it. I warble softly at her, wondering what was going through her mind.

Finally she says, "Hiccup, I'm _scared_. I'm scared of what might happen if everyone found out about our dragons. I've come to love Stryka. She's like Elias, she's special. She's like the sister I never had. If anyone found out about and tried to take her away from me, I…I don't know what I'll do…" and I think she means every word of it. I was stunned and so touched. We've only known each other for about a month and a half and, already, she sees me like her own sibling! My heart filled with joy as I realized that Zenna truly cared about me.

"I'm just…you know…scared…" Zenna admits, looking sheepish. Hiccup then takes her hand in his and squeezes it reassuringly. "Zen…_I'm scared too_," he confesses.

"**Don't be scared, Hiccup. Stryka and I are right here for you and Zenna!" **Toothless purrs, licking Hiccup's face. **"And we will **_**never **_**let anyone or anything hurt you two. We swear it to all the gods in Valhalla!" **I add, licking Zenna's face. It does both my heart and Toothless' good to see our younglings laugh again since it tells us that they are feeling okay. As long as Hiccup and Zenna are happy, Toothless and I are happy.

My dear mate and I then decide to play around the Cove while Hiccup and Zenna discuss their plans for tomorrow. "Tomorrow's gonna be our first test flight together…" Hiccup murmurs to Zenna. "You two better be careful unless you both wanna get a wallop from my sticks," Zenna laughs and pokes Hiccup in the ribs with one of her sticks. Toothless and I hear our younglings laugh and, with some good scratches behind our ears, they head home.

"**Did you hear that? Our first test flight together!" **Toothless says, happily wagging his tail. **"Like Zenna said, you and Hiccup better be careful," **I remind him sternly.

Toothless gives me a mischievous smile. **"I make no promises," **he chuckles. I whack him in the head with my tail in response.

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**Read and review! Oh, and check out my profile too. I've added a new section there called "SONGS FOR MY SHIPS" It's my playlist for my stories ;)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	9. We Fly Together, As One

**Hey guys, I'm so sorry it has taken so long for this update. Please enjoy!**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING**

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**Chapter 9: We Fly Together, As One**

The next day, Hiccup and Zenna arrive earlier than usual. According to them, training had let out early so that meant we could have more time to fly together. After a few more practices tethered to the ground for Toothless, we are ready to go.

"Are you ready to touch the skies, Stryka?" Zenna asks me gamely, smiling widely, as she puts the saddle on my back. I wiggle my rump in excitement. **"You know it, Zen!" **I croon while Hiccup gets on Toothless' back and attaches this piece of parchment to the saddle. Upon closer inspection, I see that it has several positions for Toothless to use once the tail fin has been opened. I then hear Zenna say to Hiccup, "Hicc, having that is just gonna distract you." While Hiccup says, "It's not going to distract me, Zen." I am confused and look at Toothless. **"He calls it a 'cheat sheet'…Something tells me he's not confident enough to trust his flying instincts…" **he sighs. **"Technically, humans don't **_**have**_** flying instincts," **I remind him before we both take off and leave the Cove.

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It is a glorious day for flying. The wind is blowing at the perfect speed and feeling Zenna's thrill makes me thrilled as well. Hiccup and Toothless are right in front of us. "Alright, bud, we're gonna take this nice and slow," Hiccup tells Toothless, who nods. He then glances down at his cheat sheet to pick out a position and Zenna sighs. "Lose the chest sheet. Just let flying come to you naturally," she tells him but Hiccup ignores her. I expect Zenna to be frustrated but, judging by the way she shrugs her shoulders, I can tell that she has already gotten accustomed to Hiccup's stubbornness.

Finally Hiccup picks out a position and clicks on the stirrup. The tail fin opens and I hear Toothless say, **"Let's do this, Hiccup." **And they fly perfectly, making a graceful turn. "Good work!" Zenna calls out to them both. **"You're doing great, Toothless! Keep it up!" **I chirp encouragingly to my dearly beloved mate. Pleased to see that the tail fin is working fine, Hiccup decides to get things moving. "Alright, it's go time…" he mumbles and he and Toothless glide alongside us. Toothless and I skim the water with our wings and the sea breeze makes us feel refreshed and just so alive! Toothless and I, for the first time in what seemed like forever, feel free. No raids to go on and no threats to become the next meal from the Queen…it is just wonderful.

"Come on, buddy! Come on, buddy!" "That's it, Stryka! You can do it, girl!" Hiccup and Zenna cheer us on as we fly under a stone arch, the gulls crying overhead. "Yes, it worked!" Hiccup grins before he and Toothless start bumping into sea stacks! I wince a bit every time my mate hits one. "Sorry!" Hiccup apologizes after the first bump and says, "That was my fault!" when they bump into a sea stack the second time. _'Klutz…' _I think, rolling my eyes while Toothless says, **"Watch where you're going, man!" **and slaps him with his right ear flap. "Be careful!" Zenna whines as she and I fly alongside our boys.

Hiccup sighs, frustrated. "Yeah, yeah, I got it! Position three…no, four…" he mutters, picks out a position, clicks on the stirrup again, and he and Toothless soar upwards. "Now _that's _what I've been waiting for," Zenna grins and we join them up higher into the air.

"**Yeah!" **Toothless roars as we soar up higher into the clouds. "Yeah! _Go baby!_" Hiccup whoops in exhilaration. "Alright! Now _that's _what I'm talking about!" Zenna cheers while I exclaim, **"I am enjoying this! Yahoo!" **as we go higher and higher.

"Oh, this is amazing! The wind in my…" Hiccup manages to say before a breeze suddenly detaches the cheat sheet from the saddle! _'Uh-oh…' _I think as Hiccup yells, "_Cheat Sheet!_ STOP!" which catches Zenna's attention. We both see our boys up a few feet above us. Toothless stops his ascent, the safety line connecting Hiccup to him detaches…and then they start to fall out of the sky!

"**Oh noooooooooooooooo!" **Toothless roars in a panic while Hiccup hollers, "Oh Gods! Oh Gods, no!" as they plummet back down to earth! **"NO!" **I shriek in alarm and frantically go into a power dive while Zenna screams, "No, no, no, no, no, _Hiccup! Toothless!_" and we fly down after them.

My mate is roaring in a panic and frantically flapping his wings and flailing his legs and tails while trying to follow Hiccup's increasingly frantic commands. I roar as well, fearing for their lives, as Zenna yells, "Come on, Hiccup, you can do it! Hang in there, Toothless!"

When a rock pillar zooms by, my stomach twists itself into knots upon realizing that all four of us were getting closer to hitting the ground! If Toothless didn't get Hiccup back on the saddle in time, they are going to be smushed! Finally, after an agonizingly long second, Hiccup manages to air swim his way over to Toothless and strap himself back in!

"Pull up! And, Hiccup, _don't think, just do!_ Just fly, Hiccup! _Just fly!_" Zenna screams once the treetops come into view. The cheat sheet flutters by and Hiccup grabs it with his mouth but he doesn't use it. Instead, he quickly has Toothless pull up. Zenna and I pull up as well, the treetops barely missing my scales by inches, and the four of us fly into a foggy part of the sea littered with sea stacks.

'_Don't think, just do,_' I suddenly hear Zenna's thoughts in my head. I am startled that I can hear her thoughts but, then, I focus on the sea stacks. _'Alright, Zenna…let's do this!' _I think and we fly. Making snap decisions and whatnot, the two of us and Hiccup and Toothless soar through the deadly maze. No commands are given, and it's as if Zenna and I have become one being soaring through the air.

It feels…_amazing_.

Finally, all four of us make it out of the maze. "YEEAAAHH!" Hiccup yells out, victoriously throwing his hands up in the air. "WOOO-HOOO!" Zenna hollers, pumping her fists in the air. Toothless and I look at each other and smile before letting out plasma blasts to celebrate…forgetting that humans aren't partially fireproof like dragons.

"Come on!"

"Oh man!"

'_Whoops…sorry, you two!' _Toothless and I think as our two Riders frantically extinguish the flames. We decide to land on a rocky islet so we can rest. Hiccup looks like scrawny lion with his singed mane and it makes Zenna laugh. Then Hiccup licks his thumb and forefinger, then, puts out a small lick of flame Zenna forgot to extinguish in her hair. "Thanks…" my youngling says sheepishly before she whacks Hiccup on the back with her battle sticks. "What was that for?" Hiccup winces at her. "For bringing a cheat sheet and not trusting your instincts," she tells him off.

Toothless and I decide to go fish for dinner while Hiccup and Zenna walk around the islet. By the time they have returned from exploring, we have already caught a large quantity of fish. "Looks like it's dinnertime," Zenna chirps and she and Hiccup make a fire pit. Toothless and I light it with our plasma blasts and, with our humans cooking their fish, we set down to eat.

The sun is setting, turning the sky into a dazzling display of pink, orange and yellow. I am particularly looking forward to twilight when the sky begins to turn violet, just like Zenna's eyes. Hiccup and Zenna are slowly eating their cooked fish so Toothless and I decide to cough up some of ours so it'll be easier for them to digest.

"Um, no thanks. I'm good," Hiccup declines the offer. "It's okay. You can have it back," Zenna politely refuses the fish. **"Your losses, you two," **Toothless says and gulps the fish back down. I look at Zenna, confused as to why she doesn't like regurgitated fish, for a minute before shrugging and gulping down the fish.

Then these Terrible Terrors come, flocking like seagulls, and they set their sights on our fish. **"Back off, pests!" **Toothless and I growl, protectively clutching our catch close. Then Toothless spots a cheeky Terror making off with a fish and quickly snatches it back. **"Haha! Better luck next time, squirt!"** Toothless taunts him. **"Okay, Night Fury, you've forced my paw!" **the Terrible Terror then prepares to fire. But, just as I hear the faint hiss of gas, Toothless fires a weak fireball directly into the Terror's mouth and the blast backfires. The little dragon slumps to the ground in defeat.

"Huh, not so fireproof on the inside, are you?" Hiccup chuckles before saying, "There you go." And gives the cheeky little thief a fish. Toothless and I look at him and Zenna, offended. We caught the fish so it is ours, not the Terrible Terror's! "Oh, relax, you two. It's just one fish," Zenna chides us. The Terrible Terror eats the fish and curls up between our two younglings. Hiccup and Zenna look at each other briefly before leaning against our flanks and stroke the Terrible Terror.

"_Everything we know about you guys…is wrong…_" Hiccup whispers, Zenna nodding in agreement. "Three hundred years…_We've _been wrong about _them_. And _they've _been wrong about _us_," she says.

Toothless and I realize it now.

All these years of war, hatred and bloodshed have been a lost cause, both for our kind and the humans. If only dragons and Vikings can put aside their differences, like Toothless and I have done with Hiccup and Zenna, maybe…maybe things would be different and we can all live in peace. It'd also help if the Queen wasn't in the picture…

"Elias would be so proud of us right now, Hiccup," Zenna remarks, interrupting my thoughts. "He sure would…You miss him?" Hiccup replies. Zenna looks at him and I feel my heart cry out for her. If only I can meet Zenna's older brother…then I can fully understand how much she loves him…and, maybe, I can grow to love him the way I love Zenna. "Every day…" Zenna replies softly with a sad smile. "Yeah…Me too…" Hiccup murmurs, smiling sadly as well, before his eyes widen.

"Our parents…"

Toothless and I are puzzled as to why our little humans have suddenly started panicking. "We better get going!" Zenna yelps and we fly back to the Cove at Berk. Hiccup and Zenna are both so jumpy that they only pat us on our heads and swiftly leave, leaving me and Toothless to ponder when they will come back.

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**Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know in the reviews!**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	10. Hi, Astrid, NOW GO AWAY!

**Hi, guys! Sorry if this update took so long. Just to give you a heads up, Stryka swears a bit in this chapter. If you don't like swearing, leave the story or skip to the end.**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**Chapter 10: Hi, Astrid, NOW GO AWAY!**

The next day, Hiccup and Zenna don't come in the morning. Toothless and I worry about them, wondering if they are in danger. What if they have been captured by ruffians? Or attacked by hostile dragons? Or worse?

"**I'm getting worried, Toothless…What if something happened to them? I'm gonna go see if they're alright," **I say and prepare to take flight. Toothless then stops me. **"Stryka, I know you get all motherly towards Zenna but, remember, she's not a helpless hatchling. She can take care of herself," **he reminds me. Then he looks worried and tries to climb out of the Cove. **"It's Hiccup that I'm worried about. Curse these stupid wings! Why can't tail fins grow back?" **he groans as he tries and fails to maintain a firm grip on the rocks surrounding our haven. I roll my eyes, pull him back down and tenderly lick his face.

We both decide to just stay in the Cove, fish for our breakfast, and wait for our younglings to come. The day seems to crawl like a slug until Toothless and I finally hear our Riders' voices. But what they have to say troubles us.

"…_leaving!_ We're leaving!" Hiccup's voice declared, sounding defeated. **"Leaving?!" **Toothless and I growl in shock.

Suddenly we smell the scent of another human, one who does _not _smell like Hiccup or Zenna, and we quickly run and hide. From our hiding place, we see Hiccup and Zenna arrive at the Cove. Hiccup is carrying a basket while Zenna has a worried look on her face.

"Let's pack up! Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation. _Forever_," Hiccup calls out to Toothless. "Are you sure you're gonna be okay just by yourself with him? Stryka and I can always come with you," Zenna tells him and that's when I notice that she has also packed a few supplies herself. But Hiccup shakes his head and says, "No. If you disappear, there'll be more trouble. Just…come up with an alibi or something."

Zenna cocks her head to the side, kind of like how I would whenever I get curious. "You mean tell the Chief you were captured by pirates? Or Outcasts?" she asks him.

That's when Toothless and I spot this blonde girl with an axe. Maybe this is the Astrid girl Zenna keeps going on about being Hiccup's future girlfriend. She's sneaking up on our Riders with a weapon! Toothless and I growl and prepare to pounce. But then Hiccup and Zenna's constant reminders for us to stay hidden from other humans come back to us. If this Astrid girl spots us, she could go run to the village and have an entire army coming for us. Toothless and I decide to lie in wait. If Astrid attacks our Riders, we'll attack.

Hiccup and Zenna are oblivious to the fact that there is an intruder in the Cove and continue talking. "Whatever works fine, but the '_captured by Outcasts_' story seems more believable," Hiccup says, checking on his stuff. Then he and Zenna look up…and see Astrid perched on the boulder, sharpening her axe!

Toothless and I inwardly groan, **"Seriously, you two notice her just now? She's been here for almost five minutes!" **when we see Hiccup and Zenna jump back in surprise. "Wh-what're you doing here?!" Hiccup stutters in shock. "How did you…? When did you…?" Zenna splutters, flabbergasted.

Astrid's tone is icy and harsh as she gets down from the boulder. "I wanna know what's going on. No one just gets as good as you do. _Especially you_," she says, pointing her axe at Hiccup who tries to get away but she blocks his path. "Start talking! Are you training with someone?" she starts interrogating Hiccup and he nervously replies, "Uh…training?" as Astrid grabs him by his riding vest.

"It better not involve _this_!" Astrid tightens her grip on him, making Hiccup flinch slightly. I hear Toothless growl, **"You **_**dare **_**lay a hand on him?!"** and, luckily, manage to keep him from charging. "I know this looks really bad, but you see…this is, uh…" Hiccup is trying to come up with an excuse and Zenna tries to defuse the situation. "Astrid, just leave him alone. And for the record, he _has _been training – with _me_," Zenna says to Astrid, looking annoyed.

'_That is true. I have to agree with her on that. I've seen the boy collapse from exhaustion under Zen's exercises_…' I think, remembering the daily exercises Zenna would do with Hiccup as well as the wrestling matches she makes him and Toothless partake in. According to her, it's a good way to build up muscle since wrestling with a dragon hundreds of pounds heavier than you can really make you toughen up.

My musings are interrupted when Hiccup finally comes up with an excuse to throw Astrid off our scent. Toothless and I must have made a sound while in hiding for Astrid looks in our direction. A little nervous, we both try to hide further in the vegetation while Hiccup says, "You're right! You're right. I'm through with the lies. Yep, I've been training with Zenna and I've been making…outfits," making Zenna look at him with her '_Really?!_' face.

"**Outfits…?" **Toothless rumbles, confused. **"Way to make an alibi, Hiccup…" **I sigh, shaking my head.

"So, you got me. It's time everyone knew. Drag me back. Go ahead. Here we go," Hiccup then grabs Astrid's hand and places it on his vest. Suddenly Astrid grabs Hiccup's hand and twists his arm behind him, forcing him to the ground!

I gulp as Toothless unsheathes his teeth from his gums and a low growl emits from his throat.

"OW! _Why would you do that?!_" Hiccup cries out, clearly in pain. "That's for the lies!" Astrid tells him, kicking him in the shin! **"She dares…"** Toothless growls, readying himself into an attack position. "And _that's _for everything else!" Astrid then bounces the handle of her axe onto Hiccup's stomach – hard.

"**That's it! She dies, now!" **Toothless gets ready to leap but I stop him. **"Toothless, no!" **I yelp frantically before I hear Zenna shout, "For crying out loud, Astrid, just leave him alone!"

I turn my head and see my youngling try to shove Astrid off of Hiccup when that blonde heathen suddenly jabs her axe's handle into Zenna's stomach!

"OUCH! Mother of Thor, that _hurt_!"

My eyes widen to the size of plates the minute I see the atrocity committed towards my brave, sweet youngling.

Astrid just jabbed her axe handle into Zenna.

She had hurt Zenna.

_My_ Zenna!

All thoughts of sparing Astrid's life are thrown into the metaphorical fire as I growl alongside Toothless and we leave the safety of the surrounding greenery. **"Alright, blondie, now you've done it!" **I growl, making Astrid turn in our direction. Her blue eyes widen in fear once she sees us, the unholy offspring of Lightning and Death themselves.

"_Get down!_" she yelps, pushing Hiccup to the ground just when he had finally staggered to his feet. **"Leave them alone!" **Toothless and I roar, charging towards the human who had dared attack our little ones. "_Run! Run!_" Astrid yells, raising her axe.

"**A puny axe will not save your life, bitch! You'll pay for what you did to my youngling!" **I roar at her. That's when Hiccup and Zenna _both _tackle Astrid to the ground while yelling, "_No!_"

Hiccup tries to calm me and Toothless down while Zenna wrestles the axe away from Astrid, flinging it to the side, before helping Hiccup. "Whoa there! Easy, you two! Easy!" she waves her arms at my mate and I. Toothless and I calm down slightly and drop our attack stance. "No. It's okay! It's okay…she's a friend," Hiccup tells us. I am shocked. That Astrid girl just hurt them and Hiccup and Zenna see her as a friend?!

'_You've got to be joking, Hiccup. That blonde heathen just hurt you and Zen!_' I think in disbelief. And I'm pretty sure Toothless is thinking the same thing as well. "It's alright. I disarmed her. She won't be able to harm you," Zenna says to us calmly. Ha! _She _won't be able to harm _us_? I think the better question would be if _Toothless and I _won't maul _her_!

Hiccup and Zenna then face, Astrid who is gaping at them like a dead fish. "It's okay. You just scared them," our Riders tell her and she yells, "_I _scared _them_?!"

"**Scare us? You **_**threatened **_**us!" **Toothless growls warningly as Astrid asks, "Who is _them_?" cautiously taking a step back. "Astrid, Toothless and Stryka. Toothless and Stryka, Astrid," Hiccup and Zenna make the introductions. But Toothless and I are not in the mood for befriending the person who had attacked out Riders earlier.

"**Hi, Astrid, NOW GO AWAY!"**

Once Toothless and I greet her, Astrid makes a run for it.

'_Good riddance! That'll teach her not to hurt Zenna with that axe of hers…' _I think triumphantly while Hiccup deadpans, "Da, da, da! _We're dead_!" and Zenna sighs, "Like really dead-_dead_!"

"**Eh, better than seeing that axe-wielding brat any day!" "Works for me!" **Toothless and I both say, shrugging our wings, and turning around. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Where do you think you're going?!" Hiccup hollers to Toothless. **"To have a last meal if we really **_**are **_**going to be dead!" **Toothless hollers back, even though Hiccup couldn't understand him. "Stryka, if we don't get to Astrid before she reaches the village, we'll _all _be in big trouble!" Zenna tells me. **"But she **_**hurt **_**you! Why should we even bother with her?" **I warble at her, stopping in my tracks and turning to face her.

Zenna's worried and desperate look tells me everything.

Sighing, Toothless and I let Hiccup and Zenna mount us and we head off to find ourselves a Viking.

* * *

**Me: Read and review. Those two things make me very happy!**

**Zenna: I can't believe Stryka just called Astrid that…**

**Stryka: *grins a gummy grin proudly as if to say, "Believe it!"***

**-GuardianDragon98**


	11. We Show Them the Truth

**Man, it's so hard to write when many preparations are being made for college. Anyways enjoy this update to Stryka's side of the story.**

**NOTE: I OWN NOTHING!**

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**Chapter 11: We Show Them the Truth**

It doesn't take long for me and Toothless to find Astrid. Compared to the speed of a Night Fury, a human might as well be a snail. We see her running through the forest, about to jump off a fallen tree. **"You're not getting away that easy, Astrid!" **Toothless growls and, on Hiccup's command, grabs her by the arm and lifts her up into the air!

"AAAAAAHHHH! Oh, Great Odin's Ghost! Oh, this is it! Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" Astrid screams and it hurts my ears. I groan, shaking my head, and Zenna soothes me while Hiccup has Toothless drop Astrid into a tree. Zenna and I hover near the tree and I can see that Astrid is freaking out.

"Hiccup! _Get me down from here!_ Zenna! I swear to Thor I'll make sure your parents and the whole village know about this!" she angrily shouts at Hiccup and Zenna. "You have to give us a chance to explain!" Hiccup pleads with her. "I am not listening to _anything _you two have to say!" Astrid replies hotly. "Fine with me. See you in the afterlife," Zenna then turns me around. I warble, confused as to why we're going away so soon, when Hiccup desperately shouts, "Zen!"

"I'm kidding!" Zenna laughs and turns me back around. I find myself laughing a dragon laugh because pretending to leave Hiccup and my mate on their own with Astrid was funny. Then I fix my stern gaze on Astrid, glaring at her. _'I still haven't forgiven you for jabbing that axe handle into Zenna, you blonde heathen,_' I think as Hiccup tries a different tactic to get Astrid on our side.

"Then I won't speak…Just let me _show you_," Hiccup pleads, extending his hand out. "I'd do what he says. Unless you wanna stay stuck there for the rest of your life or worse, I'd get on the saddle with him," Zenna adds, nonchalantly reclining back on my saddle. Toothless and I both bob our heads up and down in agreement. "_Please_, Astrid," Hiccup pleads with Astrid again and, finally, she gives in.

She refuses Hiccup's hand and proceeds to climb onto the saddle behind him. Then Toothless growls, **"You hurt Hiccup again, I will tear you apart." **And I rumble admonishingly at him. "Now, get me down," Astrid demands. "Toothless, down. _Gently_," Hiccup soothingly pats Toothless' head.

"Three…" Zenna suddenly begins to count down as my mate opens his wings. "Two…" she whispers to me as I notice Toothless' face. _'Oh dear…Odin have mercy on the poor young ones' souls…' _I think, sighing as Hiccup says, "See? Nothing to be afraid of…"

"…_One_."

Once Zenna says that, Toothless takes off with Hiccup and Astrid!

"And there it is!" Zenna grins mischievously. **"You're enjoying this madness, aren't you, youngling?" **I whine worriedly at her. Sensing my concern for Hiccup and Toothless, Zenna says, "Let's go make sure they don't kill themselves!" knowingly, taking me up higher into the clouds.

I can hear Astrid's screams even from where I'm flying as well as Hiccup's frantic yelps to get my mate to calm down. "Toothless! What is wrong with you?! Bad dragon!" Hiccup scolds Toothless, who just keeps on flying like a dragon possessed. "I-I'm sorry. He's not usually like this…" he apologizes weakly to Astrid just as Zenna and I fly alongside him and Toothless.

"**You're gonna go on a joyride until she apologizes?" **I ask Toothless. **"Yeah, or at least until she pees her pants," **he grins and I just roll my eyes at him. Leave it to my adrenaline junkie of a mate to help a Viking boy get the Viking girl via crazy stunts!

"You might wanna hang on," Zenna advises just as Toothless tucks his wings in to go into a dive. "_Oh no…_" Hiccup moans, Astrid screaming and tightly clinging to him, as the three of them head for the ocean.

Zenna and I make sure to keep them within our sight as we fly. Now, I see Toothless constantly dunking himself, Hiccup and Astrid into the water. "Toothless, what're you doing? We need her to _like _us!" Hiccup reminded him. _'After this, I think she'll just hate you more…' _I think and see Toothless fly up and level out.

Oh boy…I know what's going to happen next…

"He's gonna corkscrew!" Zenna yells to Hiccup as Toothless begins to spin about like a top in the air. "And now the spinning…" Hiccup drawls, Astrid yelping in fright. Zenna and I join them up in the clouds and I hear Hiccup's sarcastic remark of, "Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile."

"**Trust me, Hiccup, you'll thank me later," **Toothless warbles, enjoying Astrid's misery. "Just apologize already," Zenna tells Astrid once she makes eye contact with her. **"Yeah, before you lose one of your years to live due to extreme fright," **I deadpan.

Finally Astrid snaps.

"Okay! _I am sorry! _I'm sorry! Just get me off this thing…"

"**At last!" **Toothless exclaims and levels out.

'_Finally…now to show her that we dragons aren't so bad…'_ I think, relieved, as my mate takes Hiccup and his lady on a most romantic flight. The sun has begun to set and the whole sky is painted in beautiful shades of pink and orange. While Hiccup and Astrid are on Toothless, Zenna and I fly a few leagues away from them to give them privacy. The view of Berk is breathtaking and I warble excitedly as I spot small streaks of violet in the sky, indicating the beginning of twilight.

Then I hear Zenna sigh longingly. Now, what could she be longing for?

I look out of the corner of my eye and see my youngling clutch her lucky silver pendant in her hand, a look of pure longing on her face. I wonder what it is about that pendant that makes Zenna so…quiet. It's just a simple pendant…right?

Those thoughts are set aside once nighttime descends and we see the stars come out and the night sky come alive with a glorious aurora borealis along with the rising of the full moon.

"This is amazing, Stryka…I never knew that being on the back of a dragon could give you the best view of your life…" Zenna breathes out, reaching up to let the colors of the lights ripple across her palm. I purr and Zenna gently strokes my head and, then, hugs me. "Stryka…_thank you_," she whispers to me gratefully. **"No, Zenna, thank **_**you**_**…" **I warble to her, even though she can never understand me.

We finally catch up with Hiccup, Astrid and Toothless. And I can see that Astrid has now been fully convinced. "Alright…I'll admit, this is pretty cool…It's…_amazing_…He's amazing…" she says, patting Toothless gently. "Don't forget her," Zenna reminds her. I look at Astrid and give her a gummy smile. **"Hi!" **I warble, no longer hating her. "How long have you two been hiding them from all of us?" Astrid asks, curious. "About a month and two weeks, give or take," Zenna replies before looking at Hiccup with a mischievous smirk making its way over her lips. Hiccup blushes a deep crimson and I also smirk mischievously.

"You saw everything?" he asks meekly. "Oh yeah," Zenna grins at him. **"Ah, young love…then again, we're young as well," **Toothless and I both rumble in amusement.

Then Astrid says, "Hiccup, your final exam is tomorrow."

Toothless and I both look at each other worriedly. Hiccup and Zenna have told us about the final exam for their training and, from Astrid's statement it looks like Hiccup is the unlucky trainee to take it. Suddenly…we feel the Queen's pull.

"Uh, guys…" Zenna says uneasily, noticing my ears pricking up. Toothless and I try hard to resist but the Queen's power is too great. "You know you're gonna have to…kill a dragon?" Astrid whispers to Hiccup but the Queen's control is beginning to rob us of our focus. "Guys…" Zenna says nervously as Toothless and I start to fidget. "Don't remind me…" Hiccup sighs before Zenna hisses, "_Guys!_" at them.

That's when Toothless and I can no longer resist the Queen and take sharp banking turns. '_Wait a minute, if Toothless and I can show them the Nest…then they'll finally understand why we raid. And maybe they can help us…' _I think and look at Toothless. Words do not need to be said between us to know that we both have the same idea and we continue flying.

"Whoa! Toothless, what's happening?" Hiccup asks and tries to get my mate to turn back but there's no stopping me and Toothless. "Stryka, what's going on? Where're you taking us?" Zenna asks me worriedly. '_The Nest…You'll understand when we get there, youngling,' _I think as Toothless and I fly into a smoky cloud bank. We nearly bump into a Monstrous Nightmare clutching a bunch of fish in his talons. **"Watch it!" **he snarls. **"Sorry!" **Toothless and I apologize before joining the other dragons back to the Nest. All the while, our Riders are beginning to get scared. I can feel the fear within Zenna but she stays silent.

"It looks like they're hauling in their kills…" Hiccup observes. "What does that make us?" Astrid asks nervously before Zenna shushes her up. **"We have to stay hidden when we get to the Nest…If She catches a whiff of them, they're done for," **Toothless tells me seriously. **"Got it…"** I nod as we arrive. As usual, the volcano is oozing out molten lava and looks eerie in the smoky blackness of night.

"_The Dragon's Nest_…" Zenna whispers as Toothless and I fly into the volcano's interior. "What my Dad wouldn't give to find this…" Hiccup says. Toothless and I find a rock ledge that is concealed enough and land, making sure to back up to avoid being seen. The rest of our nest mates fly in and drop their catch into the magma pool where the Queen resides in. "Well it's satisfying to know that all of our food has been dumped down a hole," Hiccup says sarcastically. "They're not eating any of it…" Astrid says in confusion. "I don't think they're dumping it…It looks like they're making an offering…but to what?" Zenna wonders out loud.

Toothless and I are about to say something when we spot Buzzley, a Gronckle, fly haphazardly into the Nest. Looking tired, he regurgitates a single, measly fish into the magma pool!

"**No! You fool, what are you doing?!"**

"**He's gonna get eaten!"**

All of the dragons, Toothless and I included, all back away further into whatever cracks we can find…just as we hear Her roar.

"_**HOW…DARE…YOU!"**_

The Queen rises from her magma pool and swallows poor Buzzley in one gulp! I hear Zenna gasp and Astrid asks, "What…is…_that_?" while Hiccup remains silent, also horrified. Then Zenna nervously whispers, "I'll take a wild guess and say _that _is the reason why the dragons have been raiding Berk…"

'_Well, Zen, your guess is spot-on…' _I think when the other dragons notice us. **"Destin and Erika have returned!" **one of the Nadder chirps. **"Holy Mother of Thor, why did they bring **_**humans **_**in here?!" **one of the Gronckles growls in alarm. Twinshot, a Hideous Zippleback Toothless and I are friends with, approaches us with a worried look on both of his faces. **"You two need to get those young ones out of here, **_**now**_**!" **he hisses to us urgently.

"_**WAIT…I SMELL…" **_the Queen suddenly sniffs the air and we know that we are about to be discovered. "Alright, buddy, we gotta get out of here," Hiccup urgently says just as She catches our scent.

"_**HUMANS! GIVE THEM TO ME!" **_the Queen roars, spotting us.

"**We'll make a protective circle to buy you both some time! Now, go!" **Twinshot yells at us at the same time Hiccup tells Toothless, "_Now!_"

Quickly, Toothless and I fly out while our nest mates all take to the air in a mad swirl in order to obscure the Queen's view. **"Twinshot!" **Toothless and I both look behind and, in horror, see the Queen grab our friend by his wing. **"Go! Keep the humans safe! They may be our only hope…!" **he yells before he is swallowed up.

With heavy hearts, Toothless and I look ahead and fly out of the Nest and proceed back to Berk. _'He's gone…Twinshot is gone…' _I think with great sadness. "That's why…" Hiccup murmurs, seeing how shook up Toothless and I were. "We've always been wrong about you, haven't we?" Zenna asks me. **"We've been wrong about you guys, too…" **I purr in reply.

As we land back in the Cove, Astrid finally gets how the Nest works. "No, it totally makes sense. It's like a giant beehive. They're the workers, and that's their Queen. It controls them," she says and, getting off my mate, tells Hiccup, "Let's find your Dad."

Instantly, Hiccup and Zenna both cry out, "_No!_" stopping Astrid in her tracks.

"Astrid, they'll _kill _Toothless and Stryka. We gotta think this true…" Hiccup reasons with her. "The Chief won't believe us unless we have proof. And the only proofs we have are _them_. And, frankly, I don't think the village will accept them warmly," Zenna adds, gesturing to me and Toothless. Astrid looks shocked, as if she doesn't fully understand yet the severity of the situation. "Hiccup, Zenna, we just discovered the Dragons' Nest. The very thing we've been after since Vikings first sailed here. And you two want to keep it a secret?! To protect your pet dragons?! Are you serious?!" she asks incredulously. I see Zenna bristle slightly at the '_pet dragons_ part but she and Hiccup both say only one thing.

"_Yes._"

Toothless and I look at each other in amazement. To think that our two little humans, whom we've only known for a short month-and-a-half, have now risen up to protect us from anything…which is kind of strange since Toothless and I have always seen ourselves as Hiccup and Zenna's protectors. That's when my mate and I both realize that they have now become more than just our Riders…they've become our family…as if they are our own hatchlings…

Astrid is speechless for a second before looking at Hiccup. "Okay…So what do we do now?" she asks him. Hiccup, himself, looks unsure but he is determined. "Just…give me until tomorrow. I'll figure something out," he says at last.

Toothless and I both decide to go to the Cove's pond for a drink as Astrid says, "Okay…" before punching Hiccup in the arm. "That's for kidnapping me," she says as-a-matter-of-factly. Hiccup winces and looks at us. Along with Zenna, we both shrug. Then Astrid leans in and kisses Hiccup on the cheek.

Toothless and I both look at Zenna, who smiles. We're not love experts but Toothless and I both know that what Astrid just did is a sign of affection. "That's for…_everything else_," Astrid says quietly, looking embarrassed, before leaving.

"**She didn't even get her axe," **I gurgle in amusement. **"I'm sure Hiccup will give it back tomorrow…" **Toothless warbles, liking what he saw. Zenna giggles at Hiccup, who is just standing there with a dazed lovey-dovey look on his face, as we both walk over to them. My Rider nudges Hiccup and he finally comes back to earth.

Wh-What're you looking at?!" Hiccup stutters, his face turning redder if possible. "Hiccup and Astrid, sitting in a tree! _K.I.S.S.I.N.G_!" Zenna sings out as she does a crazy silly dance with me and Toothless. **"First comes love! Second comes marriage!" **Toothless warbles and I finish the song with, **"Third comes Hiccup with the baby carriage!" **while Hiccup just rolls his eyes at us.

Toothless and I are laughing our dragon version of laughter when Zenna looks at Hiccup seriously. "You'll _really _be able to figure out a plan?" she asks, making Hiccup tense up a bit before he answers, "Well, Zenna, I won't know until I try."

Zenna nods and, then, gives Hiccup a hug. "No matter what happens tomorrow, Hiccup…_I'll be there for you_," I hear her promise him before she lets go. Hiccup looks a bit surprised at the sudden gesture but smiles.

"**Be safe, both of you…" "We love you two so much…"**

Toothless and I feel our hearts swell with love as we nuzzle our two little Riders with utmost affection. "Don't worry, bud. I'm not gonna let _anything _happen to you," Hiccup promises Toothless. "We won't let anyone and anything hurt you two. _We promise_," Zenna swears to me. Toothless and I give them both gummy smiles before we decide to go to sleep. I manage to catch Zenna's eye as she leaves the Cove with Hiccup.

"**Bye-bye, Zenna! See you tomorrow!" **I croon, flicking my right front paw left and right like she did when she first encountered me in the Cove. She smiles and waves back before leaving.

Then Toothless and I look at each other. The events from the Nest are still fresh in my mind and I feel scared. **"Toothless, if the Queen finds Hiccup and Zenna…" **I begin to say before Toothless silences me with a loving nuzzle. **"That won't happen, Stryka…" **he whispers to me before licking my nose…and then my cheek. I shudder with pleasure and let out a moan.

"**Stryka…I-I know this might not be a good time…but…can-can we…?" **Toothless suddenly looks at me bashfully, his tail swishing nervously. I realize what he wants and I smile seductively. **"Mmmm…C'mere…" **I purr.

The next thing I know, Toothless and I are spending the night in passion.

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**I'll leave it to you lot to figure out what the last sentence means…**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	12. Please Don't Take My Rider Away

**Holy Shields, I am SO sorry this took so long to write. I've just been really busy with school lately. Anyways, hope y'all like this new chapter!**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD NOR DO I OWN THE LYRICS TO "You Are Sunshine" by David Copeland. I OWN ABSOLUTELY ****NOTHING****!**

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**Chapter 12: Please Don't Take My Rider Away**

Morning comes as Toothless and I bask in the afterglow of our deed. We're tired, sleepy but, oh, so satisfied. I purr softly as Toothless wraps me in his embrace, lovingly licking me in all the spots that give me pleasure. He croons sweet words of love in my ear as we settle down to sleep.

"**I love you, Stryka…my beautiful starlight…" **Toothless warbles to me softly, shutting his eyes and relaxing. **"I love you, too, Toothless, my brave, brave Toothless…" **I croon softly before we both fall asleep, wrapped in each other's wings.

How many hours have passed, I do not know. The only thing I know is that Toothless and I wake up once our highly sensitive ears hear screaming. And not just any screaming.

_Hiccup and Zenna are the ones screaming._

Bolting up from our sleeping position, Toothless and I look at each other in a panic. **"They're in trouble!" **we both screech. Quickly Toothless begins to try climbing out of the Cove but fails. **"For the love of Thor, I just wanna protect Hiccup! Let me get out of here!" **he roars in an outrage. Suddenly I get an idea. I push Toothless' rump up and that gives him the opportunity to grip onto the rock ledge more firmly. After several minutes, he finally climbs out of the Cove.

"**Thank you, Stryka," **he breathes out gratefully. **"Thank me later! Let's **_**move**_**!" **I shout urgently, flying out of the Cove.

My mate and I are going as fast as we can go. Toothless is running, occasionally leaping to hopefully gain altitude, while I am flying as fast as my wings can flap. We no longer care if any unsuspecting Viking chances upon us. All that matters is that we both need to get to Hiccup and Zenna and save them from whatever is making them scream in absolute terror.

"**I'm coming, Hiccup! I'm coming!" **Toothless huffs as he keeps running. _'Don't worry, Zenna, I'm coming to save you! Just hang on!' _I think as we finally reach the human village. There, we can see this huge metal web-like structure over this deep pit. Thousands of Vikings are surrounding the area. That's when I remember the stories my nest mates had told me.

That place with all the Vikings…_is the Dragon Killing arena_.

As terrifying the place looks like, Toothless and I hear Hiccup and Zenna's screams from inside there and decide to take the risk. Our Riders' safety comes first and we aren't going to let an entire village of dragon-slaying Vikings stop us from protecting them!

Quickly, Toothless and I race to the arena where we see Hiccup and Zenna trapped under the claws of a Monstrous Nightmare! **"Get off of them!" **we both roar, blasting the metal web with our plasma blasts and, leaping through the hole we created, jump onto the Monstrous Nightmare's back and begin to fight it off!

"**If I see a single scratch on Zenna's head…! I am going to claw your eyes out!" **I shriek, scratching the Monstrous Nightmare's neck while Toothless is pinned. **"Get off of me, you freaking son of a bitch!" **my mate roars, attacking ferociously.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see this Viking with two fake limbs – an arm and a leg – watching us fight with a shocked expression on his face. "_Night Furies!_" he exclaims, recognizing us. _'Thank you for stating the obvious…' _I think as Toothless and I manage to get the Monstrous Nightmare, a male one, off of Hiccup and Zenna. **"Furies, let me at those humans!" **he roared at us, trying to get to the two younglings. **"No! You can't hurt Hiccup!" **Toothless growls, blocking his path. The Monstrous Nightmare tries to attack again but I snap at him, **"Stay away from Zenna!" **keeping one wing draped over my youngling protectively.

Then we both roar, **"**_**LEAVE OUR HATCHLINGS ALONE!" **_making the Monstrous Nightmare back off and slink away.

That is also when the Vikings start pouring into the arena in droves! Hiccup and Zenna's pleas for us to flee fall on deaf ears. Why would we flee when all of these ruthless dragon killers are here?! Blind with fury, I attack any Viking that dares to come near Zenna alongside Toothless, who is protecting Hiccup. Then we see these three humans coming at us. One has a fierce red beard and a hammer while the other two are both dark haired and armed with swords. **"**_**YOU SHALL NOT HARM HICCUP AND ZENNA!" **_Toothless and I roar, tackling the humans to the ground.

"Toothless, stop!" "Don't do it, Stryka!"

I don't care if anything happens to me later. All that matters…is keeping my little one safe. Building up gas, Toothless and I prepare to fire. "_No_…" Hiccup and Zenna both say in horror.

'_I won't let you hurt my best friend…Never in a million years!' _I think furiously, glaring at the two humans, a man and a woman, fiercely.

Suddenly…

"_**NOOOO!**_"

Hiccup and Zenna's desperate screams reach our ears and Toothless and I both stop preparing to fire our plasma blasts. **"Hiccup, what's going on? Why did you stop us?" **Toothless coos, worriedly looking at Hiccup. I look at Zenna and I see the desperation in her eyes. **"Youngling, what's wrong?" **I warble before, suddenly, my mate and I are taken captive! We thrash about mightily but the multitude of Vikings holding us down is too strong.

"No, don't hurt! Just please don't hurt him…" Hiccup tries to run over to Toothless but Astrid holds him back. **"Keep him safe, Astrid! Don't let him get hurt!" **Toothless growls as his jaws are clamped down. That's when I see the man I had tried to attack earlier scoop Zenna up and began to walk out of the arena with the woman, Zenna squirming and thrashing like crazy!

"**No! No, no, no, no, let her go! Zenna! Zennaaaaaaaa! ZENNAAAAAAAAA!" **I screech madly.

"No, you don't understand! Let me go! _Stryka! STRYKA!_"

Zenna's screams are enough to completely rip my heart into two. The large Viking with the red beard Toothless had tried to kill then growls, "Put them with the others!"

And that's when I lose sight of Zenna.

_No…no…Odin and Thor, please, no…_

* * *

All the fight completely goes out of me. And, as I see Hiccup being dragged away by the red-bearded Vikings, the same thing happens to Toothless. We both slump to the ground, completely drained, exhausted, worried and scared, no longer resisting as the Vikings drag us into the cages.

The crowd soon leaves and Toothless and I are alone, locked up in different cages. Glancing to my left, I see a female Gronckle looking at me. **"Are you alright, Night Fury?" **she asks worriedly. Letting out a small cry, I shake my head and drop my head to the cold stone floor. The tears well up in my eyes and roll down my face as I sob. I just can't believe that Zenna had been taken away from me…and I was powerless to save her.

Suddenly, a memory of Zenna and Hiccup playing with me and Toothless flashes through my mind.

_(Flashback starts)_

'_We had spent an entire day together at the Cove. As the stars came out, Toothless and I were surprised when Hiccup and Zenna began to sing…_

"You are our sunshine, our only sunshine,

You make us happy when skies are grey

You'll never know, dears, how much we love you

Please don't take our sunshine away…"

_When they finish singing, Hiccup and Zenna look at us and smile._

"_I love you, Toothless._" "_I love you, Stryka_."

_With those words, our Riders wrapped their arms around us in the most tender embrace…'_

_(Flashback ends)_

The memory overwhelms me with sadness. The tears then come falling faster as I begin to sing my own version, the Gronckle still staring at me with wide and worried eyes.

"**You are my Rider, my only Rider**

**You make me happy when skies are gray**

**You'll never know, Zen, how much I love you…"**

I completely lose it and curl up into a ball of scales as I choke out the last verse…

"**Please don't take my Rider away…"**

* * *

**Read and Review! Those two things are the fuel I need to keep writing ;)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	13. Meeting the Parents

**Hey guys! So sorry if this has taken so long and if it's a bit too short…Have a lot on my plate right now…**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**Chapter 13: Meeting the Parents**

I don't know how much time has passed in my cell. I don't care anymore…now that Zenna has been taken from me. The Gronckle tries to comfort me but I merely growl at her to leave me be and continue to cry. It's as if my tears will never stop…until the cage suddenly opens and these Vikings come and tie me up!

"**No! Leave her alone!" **the Gronckle roars before she gets knocked unconscious! Seeing my fellow dragon snaps me out of my depressed state and I begin to thrash about like mad, roaring in all the Vikings' faces. **"Let me go, you bloodthirsty heathens!" **I screech. "Ah, shut your trap!" one Viking, probably drunk due to smelling of strong liquor, snaps at me and whacks me hard in the side of my head! Stunned, I stop roaring and the Viking begins to punch me in the face repeatedly! I try to fight back but I am completely bound in chains. The only thing I can do is whimper and hope that it would all be over soon.

Suddenly the man and woman I had tried to kill earlier come running in and pull the man away from me. "You will not harm one scale on her head, you hear me?!" the man shouts at my attacker, blue eyes blazing with fury. The woman, on the other hand, bends down to my eye level and looks at me with concerned blue eyes. "Are you alright, Stryka dear?" she asks softly. I am stunned to learn that she knows my name but I manage a small nod.

My attacker tries to have another go at me but the man and woman stop him. "Leave her alone!" they both shout. "Dragon lovers…Just like your traitorous freak of a daughter…" my attacker snarls before he is knocked unconscious by the man.

My heart skips a beat as I look, like, _really _look at the man and woman I had tried to kill earlier. And my heart then drops into my stomach and I feel sick.

The man and woman are Zenna's father and mother. No wonder Zenna sounded so desperate when she screamed at me to stop opening fire earlier. I could have killed Zenna's parents…I could have made my sweet Rider an orphan…

The realization that I could have murdered Zenna's family hits me hard and I slump to the ground, letting out a long, mournful and guilt-filled howl.

"Shhh…it's alright, Stryka…It's alright…" Zenna's mother soothes me by gently petting my head. I flinch a bit from surprise but, eventually, relax. Zenna's father gently runs a hand over my spine and I warble softly. "There, there…it's alright…" he murmurs. I purr, slightly comforted when I smell Zenna's scent on the both of them.

"Edgar, she's so beautiful…and so strong…She and Hiccup's Night Fury…they practically took on a full-grown Monstrous Nightmare…" Zenna's mother says softly, awed. Zenna's father nods and looks me in the eye. "Thank you for saving my daughter earlier, Stryka…If you hadn't come…we could have lost another child…Thank you…from the bottom of my heart," he tells me gratefully. **"You're welcome…and I'm so sorry for trying to kill you earlier…" **I croon softly, making Zenna's parents smile.

The kind interaction, however, does not last for more Vikings suddenly come in and drag me away from Zenna's parents! I screech in fright, struggling against my bonds, as one of them muzzles me and takes me away. The next thing I know, Toothless is by my side. Like me, he is muzzled and bound in chains. I whimper softly at him, my eyes welling up with tears, and he gently nuzzles me.

We are then marched towards one of the ships, where we are both set on raised platforms. Toothless and I struggle but, then, the Vikings clamp these huge wooden things down on our necks, holding us fast. Still struggling, we are raised and set down on one of the many ships moored in shallow waters.

Then we see the Viking with the fierce red beard, Hiccup's sire, get onboard along with, to my relief, Zenna's parents. "Set sail! We head for Helheim's Gate," Hiccup's sire commands. Toothless and I begin to panic. If they take us back to the Nest with them, the Queen will tear all of them apart for sure!

Before Toothless and I can voice out another protest, Hiccup's sire looks at us with a steely gaze and cows us into submission. "Lead us home, _devils_," he growls. Ear plates drooping, Toothless and I could do nothing as the ships left Berk.

And also Hiccup and Zenna…

* * *

**Read and Review! Those two things fuel my writing fire ;) And if u have any queries about my characters and stories, feel free to leave them in the reviews or PM me :)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	14. Reunited in Battle

**SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE! **

**It's just been a crazy time for me…Hope this makes it up to all of you!**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

**Another Important Note: Bold **– **Dragons Talking** ; Normal – Humans Talking ; _Italicized – both Dragons and Humans Thinking_

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**Chapter 14: Reunited in Battle**

"Sound your positions. Stay within earshot," Hiccup's sire commands as the ship sails through the foggy sea stack maze.

"Here."

"One length to your stern."

"On your starboard flank."

"Three widths to port."

"Ahead, at your bow."

"Haven't a clue," one Viking says. Toothless and I would have snorted at this but, right now, we are too sad and too scared to even make so much as a peep. Then Zenna's parents go near us. Toothless growls threateningly but I manage to calm him down. **"You can trust them, Toothless. They're Zen's parents," **I tell him and he looks at me, surprised, before taking a good look at Zenna's parents who both raise their hands up indicating that they were unarmed. Finally Toothless calms down.

"**That Viking with the fierce red beard…" **Toothless suddenly snarls. **"Hiccup's sire…I know…Oh, Toothless, that's why Hiccup and Zenna sounded so desperate in the ring earlier…We could have killed their families…" **I rumble sadly. Toothless scowls at Hiccup's sire and says, **"He calls himself my Hiccup's father? Where was he during those times when Hiccup needed him?" **in a venomous tone.

I am about to say something when the two-limbed Viking with the dirty blond mustache hobbles up to Hiccup's sire. "Listen…Stoick…I was overhearing some of the men just now and, well, some of them are wondering what it is we're up to here…Not me, of course, I know you're always the man with the plan…But some, not me, are wondering if there is in fact a plan at all, what might it be?" he asks Hiccup's sire, who Toothless and I now know has a name, Stoick.

"Find the nest and take it," Stoick says. "Ah, of course. Send them running. The old Viking fallback. Nice and simple," the two-limbed Viking says nervously. '_They are clearly heading into danger blindly…Typical stupid Viking strategy…_' Toothless and I both think before we hear the Queen's call, beckoning us to the Nest…

'_Ah! No! No! Fight it, Stryka! You can't let them know!_' I think frantically, trying my best to keep the Queen's voice out of my head.

"_**Erika…"**_

"_**Erika…"**_

"_**ERIKA!"**_

I can't do it. My ear flaps begin to move on their own, along with Toothless', attracting Stoick's attention. "Shhh…" he says, shushing his crew up before walking over to me and my mate. One look at our twitching ear plates and he's figured out the way to the Nest.

"Step aside," Toothless and I feel our hearts sink as Stoick goes to the front of the ship to take control. "Bear to port," one Viking instructs and the rest of the ships follow us deeper into the fog.

As we get closer to the Nest, I begin to get really frightened. Not even Toothless' comforting croons can keep me from whimpering. "Shut it, devil!" Stoick snaps at me and, instantly, Zenna's parents step up to protect me. "_Stryka_ is not a devil, Stoick! Neither is Toothless! They saved our children and, in return, you chain them and make them our compass to the Nest?" Zenna's mother demands angrily. "We talked with Zenna earlier, Stoick. This could be a suicide mission and we will all pay the price!" Zenna's father adds emphatically.

Stoick looks at them and glares. "Your daughter, _Edgar and Henna_, is a traitor to the tribe," he says coldly.

What Stoick says next makes me and Zenna's parents, Edgar and Henna, angry.

"_When we get back, I want her gone._"

"_WHAT?!_" _**"WHAT?!" **_ Henna, Edgar and I all screech in shock. "You heard me. Zenna is no longer a member of Berk. The same goes for Hiccup. First thing I'll be doing when we get home will be exiling them," Stoick says flatly. "Stoick, this is an outrage!" Edgar yells angrily. "Then we will pack up and leave Berk with our daughter! But exiling _Hiccup_?! He's your _son_!" Henna cries out. "I have no son!" Stoick bellows at them.

"**What…did…he…just…say?" **Toothless asks in a low growl. I just stare at Stoick like he had gone mad (_which I'm pretty sure he already has_) while Edgar and Henna look at him with horrified eyes. "Stoick…h-how…how could you…?" Henna stammers out, her face pale.

Stoick merely huffs and turns away from them.

Edgar's face is grim and he shakes his head. "He disowned Hiccup…Oh Edgar, how could he…?" Henna whispers, tears in her eyes. "We take Hiccup with us then. We'll go back to the South where Hiccup can live with us…let him be part of our family," he tells her.

As angry as he is, I hear Toothless sigh with relief. I feel a bit comforted as well, knowing that Zenna is going to be safe with her family when this is all over along with Hiccup. But still…how can Stoick be so cruel to no longer consider Hiccup his? It's sheer madness to even think about!

Then we see the remains of a Viking ship hanging by flimsy ropes over us. The Vikings hush up, the atmosphere tense. "Ah…I was wondering where that went…" the two-limbed Viking pipes up. "Stay low and ready your weapons," Stoick says to his people.

Edgar and Henna look at him with scathing glares but they both obey. Toothless and I are beginning to get all the more frightened when the ship hits dry land.

"We're here," Stoick announces, looking ready to charge and take down every last dragon in the Nest.

'_We're doomed…_' Toothless and I both think, fearing for our nest mates' lives and ours. I look at Edgar and Henna, see the fearful look in their eyes, and pray to the gods that, no matter what happened next…they would live to see Zenna again.

* * *

The Vikings begin to leave all of the ships. Edgar and Henna are the last ones to leave. With gentle hands to our snouts, they say, "We'll find a way to free you two. We promise." Before leaving to join the other warriors on the beach.

"**They're going to get themselves killed out there!" **I cry out, struggling to break out of my restraints. **"We need to get out! Odin, why can't these things break?!" **Toothless roars in frustration as we both try to break free but to no avail.

"No matter how this ends, it ends today."

Toothless and I watch in horror as the Vikings launch their catapults into the Nest, destroying parts of the volcano and revealing the caves where our brethren resided in.

"**Fly away!"**

"**Every dragon for himself!"**

"**Those humans will be eaten!"**

"**She's hungry again! Fly for it!"**

Our nest mates screech and roar as they fly out of the Nest in a panic. Still stuck onboard the ships, Toothless and I both cower in fear. It won't be long now until the Queen emerges from the Nest and wreaks havoc…

"We've done it!" I hear one Viking warrior cry out and the rest of the Vikings cheer. '_Oh, you've done it, alright…_' I think worriedly as Stoick's booming voice yells out, "This isn't over! Form your ranks! Hold together!"

And that's when Toothless and I hear the Queen's enraged roar.

"_**HUMANS! I SHALL FEAST ON YOUR FLESH!"**_

Toothless and I can only watch, utterly helpless, as the Queen emerges from the Nest. "Get clear!" we hear Stoick shout and the screams of the Vikings follow. They launch catapult rounds, but they barely make a dent in the Queen's armor-like hide.

How long the battle lasts, I don't know. The next thing Toothless and I know the ship we are on is on fire! **"HELP! SOMEBODY, HELP US!" **we both screech in terror. Dragons are only partially fireproof…we won't last long…

Then, suddenly, they are there.

Hiccup and Zenna arrive on a Deadly Nadder with Astrid. They jump off and land on the burning deck. "Go help the others!" Hiccup yells to Astrid who nods and leaves with her Nadder to join the battle.

'_They're here…But how…?_' I find myself thinking as Hiccup and Zenna rush over to me and Toothless. "Okay, hold on. Hold on," Hiccup tells Toothless, removing his muzzle. "It's okay, girl. I'm here. Don't be scared!" Zenna tells me, removing my muzzle as well.

The shock from seeing our two younglings again soon wear off and Toothless and I begin to panic. **"Hiccup, you and Zenna need to get out of here!" **Toothless growls worriedly. **"We're not gonna make it! Save yourselves while you two still can!" **I croon fearfully. But our pleas fall on deaf ears as Hiccup and Zenna try to free us from our platforms with steel rods. "Hiccup, remind me to tell your father to _ban _the usage of these things!" Zenna grunts before yelping along with Hiccup as the mast nearly falls down on them in a shower of sparks!

To make things worse, the Queen's massive paw comes down on the ship and the four of us are sent underwater!

'_No, it can't end like this! It can't end like this!_' I think, panicking, as Toothless and I ignore the cold water and try to break free. Hiccup and Zenna then come swimming towards us and, once again, valiantly try to save us. _'You two need to go! Before you both run out of air! Please, just go!_' Toothless and I frantically think as our Riders struggle to free us.

Then, to my horror, both Hiccup and Zenna run out of air and lose consciousness just as three hands pull them out of the water!

"_**HICCUP!"**_

"_**ZENNA!"**_

Toothless and I can't see them anymore. Our strength begins to wane…

'_At least I saw my little one again…_' I think as my eyes start to close. Maybe when I die…Toothless and I will finally be reunited with our parents…

But, apparently, Death has no plans to claim us today for Stoick, Henna and Edgar come diving into the water. We stare at them for a few seconds, gauging them to see if we could trust them.

Finally, I hear Toothless' thoughts. '_Okay, Stoick, I'm giving you one chance_…_' _he thinks. I then look at Zenna's parents and nod. '_I trust you two_…_' _I think and, then, the three of them free us from our chains. Grabbing them, Toothless and I fly out of the water. Seeing Hiccup and Zenna safe, we deposit their parents on the ground and land on a rock.

"_**FOOLHARDY HUMANS! I SHALL CRUSH YOUR BONES INTO DUST! AS FOR YOU TRAITOROUS LOT, I SHALL DEVOUR EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!"**_

The Queen's enraged roar echoes throughout the land and Toothless and I look to Hiccup and Zenna. **"Come on, Hiccup! We gotta beat this she-devil!" **Toothless barks. **"Let's beat the Queen into a pulp, Zen!" **I trill.

"You got it, bud," Hiccup nods and runs over to Toothless. "I read 'ya loud and clear, girl," Zenna says before turning to Stoick. I can't hear what she's saying but, after she says it, Stoick actually _flinches_.

'_Zenna probably told him off for disowning Hiccup…Serves him right…_' I think as Hiccup hollers, "Zenna, come on, let's go!"

Zenna says something again that I can't hear before running towards me. When our Riders are strapped in, that's when Stoick and Zenna's parents come.

"Hiccup! I…_I'm sorry. F-for everything…_"

"**At last!" **Toothless trills to himself before I shush him. I see Zenna lock eyes with Stoick and I know that she forgives him when she smiles and nods her head. "Yeah, me too…" Hiccup also apologizes. "You two don't have to go up there," Stoick tells him and Zenna. "It's extremely dangerous…" Henna says worriedly. "Are you sure the two of you can handle it?" Edgar asks.

Hiccup and Zenna's answer surprises and, at the same time, amuses us.

"_We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard_."

Stoick then takes Hiccup's hand in both of his and says, "I'm proud to call you my son." Prompting Toothless to warble, **"Did it seriously take you this long to realize that?" **before I give him a slight glare. "Thanks, Dad…" Hiccup says quietly, clearly not expecting those kind of words to come out of his father's mouth. My eyes soften when Zenna's parents smile at my little one. "We've said it before and we'll say it again…_Elias would be so proud of you_," Henna beams. "As proud as _we _are of you, Zenna," Edgar nods. "I know, Mom and Dad. _I know_," Zenna smiles knowingly.

The four of us look at each other and nod…before taking off to the skies.

We have a monster to defeat!

* * *

**Read and give me your craziest reviews! I love the feedback!**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	15. Battling the Queen

**Another update! Enjoy!**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD. ALL RIGHTS GO TO CRESSIDA COWELL, DEAN DEBLOIS AND DREAMWORKS ANIMATION**

* * *

**Chapter 15: Battling the Queen**

"You _sure _you wanna get rid of this Red Death, Zen?" I hear Hiccup ask Zenna, now calling the tyrannical Queen a rather fitting name. "Trust me, Hiccup, this is _one _dragon I'm willing to kill," Zenna says firmly as we fly into battle.

"**Time to take down this she-devil!" **Toothless roars. **"Time to end this war once and for all!" **I screech as we dive bomb the Queen from above. "_Night Furies!_" A Viking cries out and I hear the two-limbed Viking yell, "Get down!"

Toothless and I both fire plasma blasts at the Queen and just in time. Astrid and her Nadder are about to be swallowed up! While Hiccup and Toothless go save Astrid, Zenna says to me, "Let's help your comrade, Stryka!"

"**On it!" **I nod and fly towards the Nadder, who is a female. **"Ahh! Mayday! Mayday! Someone help me!" **she squawks frantically before I manage to help her right herself before she crash landed.

"**Thank you!" **the Nadder squawks with gratitude. "You're welcome!" Zenna grins. **"Night Fury, protect your Rider! And be careful!" **the Nadder tells me as we fly away. **"I will! Get as many dragons to safety as you can! And, hurry!" **I roar in reply before spotting Astrid tumbling through the air! For a second, Zenna and I fear that we won't be able to reach her in time. Fortunately, Hiccup and Toothless come by to save Astrid!

'_She better go out with Hiccup when this is all over…_' I think to myself slyly as Zenna and I fly alongside the three of them. "Did you get her?" Hiccup asks hopefully. **"One second…"** Toothless then looks upside-down to see Astrid smiling up at him. **"Yeah, I did!" **Toothless grins his gummy grin. "He got her," Zenna gives Hiccup a thumbs-up before the four of us focus on the Queen.

"That thing has wings…! Okay, let's see if it can use them!" Hiccup says, getting ready to engage Toothless. "Let's do this!" Zenna shouts as the four of us charge head on into the fight.

"**Take this, you!" **Toothless roars, firing a plasma blast at the Queen's back while I roar, **"See if you can still see after this, overweight slug!" **and fire my own blast at Her head! **"**_**FURIES, GIVE THOSE HUMANS TO ME!**_**" **She roars in an outrage. **"No! Never! We'll never give them to you!" **Toothless and I roar in defiance, finally standing up to the Queen for once, and soar on.

"You think that did it?!" Hiccup shouts just as we hear the flapping of wings behind us. "Yep!" Zenna squeaks nervously as we feel the Queen's hot breath against our necks. **"**_**YOU PATHETIC EXCUSES FOR SERVANTS SHALL BURN**_**!" **the Queen roars, flapping her tattered wings and flying after us! Looks like our plan of getting her to chase us worked…so what was the rest of the plan?

"Well, he can fly!" Hiccup quips to which Zenna says, "Technically, if it's a Queen, it's a She!" to point out the obvious. But no time to dwell on that now, the Queen is angry and She's chasing us! Toothless and I streak across the sky, the cheers of Hiccup and Zenna's friends ringing in our wake, as we play this dangerous game of chase with the Queen.

We zigzag through sea stacks that She crushes when she can't squeeze through them. Then Zenna looks up and sees the dark clouds up above. "Hiccup, now would be a good time to camouflage ourselves!" she yells, pointing at the clouds. Hiccup catches on and nods to Toothless. **"I'm ready whenever you are, Hiccup!" **my mate growls, nodding. "Okay, Toothless…time to disappear! Come on, bud!" Hiccup then opens the prosthetic tail fin to its fullest. "Let's level the playing field, Stryka! _Up!_" Zenna shouts. **"Let's see if She can fight in the dark as well as she can manipulate dragons!" **I screech as my mate and I fly with our younglings into the clouds. "Here it comes!" Hiccup yells as the Queen follows us.

"_**GET BACK HERE!" **_the Queen roars as she fires but Toothless and I easily dodge the flames.

Once we are in the clouds, Hiccup and Zenna decide to split up so we can attack the Queen easily. **"Be safe, my starlight…" **Toothless whispers to me. **"You too, my love…" **I whisper back before we split up and fly off in different directions.

"_**FURIES, SHOW YOURSELVES!" **_the Queen roars in fury. '_Yeah, not happening!_' I think as Toothless and I proceed to fire plasma blast after plasma blast at Her! With Hiccup and Zenna helping us maneuver, we manage to catch the Queen off-guard with our attacks.

Finally the Queen roars, _**"THAT'S IT! YOU AND YOUR PATHETIC HUMAN RIDERS DIE NOW!" **_and spews out flames in an angry swirl! "Watch out!" Hiccup yells. Zenna and I manage to avoid getting scorched but Hiccup and Toothless aren't so lucky.

"**Oh, great, there goes the tail fin!" **Toothless groans as his prosthetic tail fin catches on fire. "Now what?!" Zenna yells to Hiccup frantically, who looks over his shoulder to assess the damage. "Okay, time's up…Let's see if this works!" Hiccup nervously gulps. **"And we make up the plan as we go, as usual!" **I sigh while Toothless just says, **"Whatever you're planning, Hiccup, I pray to Odin and Thor that it **_**will **_**work!"**

The four of us fly into the Queen's face, insults and taunts at the ready. **"I've seen sea slugs prettier than you!" **Toothless roars in her face while Hiccup taunts the Queen with, "Come on! That the best you can do?!"

"Try and catch us, you overweight newt!" Zenna taunts while I prepare my plasma blast. **"Eat this, bitch!" **I screech, firing at Her face!

The Queen takes the bait and follows us down as we begin to rocket towards the ground. That's when Toothless and I realize what Hiccup and Zenna are planning. When the Queen opens Her mouth to breathe fire, She has to let a great amount of gas build up inside of Her. Once She has the gas ready, Toothless and I have to fire our plasma blasts right into the Queen's mouth and the gas will explode inside of Her! It's just like what happened to the Terrible Terror before only we are going to do it on a _massive _scale!

Of course, my mate's tail fin catching on fire is going to complicate things but, then again, when have things ever been easy for the four of us?

"Stay with me, buddy! We're good! Just a little bit longer!" Hiccup reassures Toothless. Zenna doesn't say anything but I can feel hear her rapidly beating heart that resonates with mine. Our plan was going to work…it just had to…

The ground become visible and Toothless and I hear the Queen begin to gas up…

"Hold, Toothless." "Hold, Stryka."

_3, 2, 1…_

"_NOW!"_

Toothless and I jackknife through the air and fire our plasma blasts right into the Queen's mouth!

"_**WHAT?! NO! NOOOOOOOO!" **_the Queen roars as the gas ignites inside of her and her wings start to smolder. Now all Toothless and I gotta do is get Hiccup, Zenna and ourselves out of here! We pull up just as the Queen comes in contact with the ground and explodes into a fiery inferno.

'_I don't care what happens to me and Toothless! Odin, just please let Zenna and Hiccup be safe!_' I think as I follow my mate through the fiery hell that is the Queen with Zenna swiftly and frantically guiding me through the blaze.

Then Toothless' prosthetic tail fin crumbles into ash…the Queen's tail comes into view. Hiccup shouts, "No…NO!" before the tail hits him and Toothless!

"HICCUP!" I manage to hear Zenna scream before the tail plows into the right side of my face.

"**AAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!" **I screech as my right eye suddenly feels like it's been cut open and blood obscures my sight. But, through the smoke, flames and blood, I see Zenna falling into the inferno!

"**ZEN!" **I roar and frantically dive towards her.

I already lost her once…I can't lose her again…

I finally manage to grab the cord of Zenna's vest and pull her close to me. Wrapping my wings around her and tucking my head down, I plunge into the heart of the fire.

Oh, the agony!

The flames threaten to tear my wings open and leave Zenna exposed and the heat is so overwhelming that I nearly pass out. But I will myself to keep holding on for Zenna's sake. All the memories I have of her flash through my mind.

Meeting her and Hiccup for the first time…her violet eyes that gazed into my green ones…the feeling of her hand against my snout when we bonded…playing in the Cove with Hiccup and Toothless…flying as one for the very first time…Zenna's smile…Zenna's laugh…Zenna's voice and every single moment we had together…

'_If she dies, I'll die…I can't imagine my life without her…She and Hiccup freed me and Toothless…If they're both gone…you might as well have killed us as well…_' I think as the flames disappear, indicating that we made it.

Then the ground comes rushing up to greet me and…everything went black…

* * *

**Read and review! Those two things make me happy!**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	16. Please Let Her Live

**Okay, guys, a new chapter for this story as a gift to all of you as I turn 17 tomorrow on July 16 :)**

**Enjoy! Oh, and have a box of tissues in case because this chapter might make your eyes water.**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**Chapter 16: Please Let Her Live**

I wake up to an intense throbbing in my right eye. Groaning, I open my left eye and I see the blood. My right eye has been damaged completely. There's no hope for it to heal.

But what about Zenna?

That's when I look down and see my youngling. The entire right side of her face is covered in blood! Zenna moans weakly, her left eye fluttering open. I whimper worriedly at her but she stares straight ahead, most likely in shock, before moaning again and letting her head flop to one side. Her breathing is weak and her heartbeat is barely audible, making me panic.

"**Help! Please! Somebody help us! HELP!" **I screech in distress. I try looking around for Toothless and Hiccup but the blood obscures my vision and I don't see them anywhere. Zenna and I must have crash landed somewhere farther away…

When no one comes, I continue screeching. Zenna needs help now and there's got to be someone out there to help her! I don't even feel the pain from my own damaged right eye now. All I can feel is Zenna slowly slipping away from life. And she can't die. She's too young to die…and I don't want to lose her for good this time…I don't want my best friend to die…

My shrill shrieks bring Zenna back to consciousness but only for a few seconds. Enough time for her to say…

"Stry…ka…I…lo…love…you…You…are…my…fr-friend…My…best…dragon…friend…"

Tears well up in my one working eye as I recall the words she had told me in my dream and fall onto her face. Zenna closes her one violet eye and, if possible, her breathing and heartbeat slow down to a point where I can barely feel them anymore…

"**Mother! Father! Gods above, don't take her! Don't take Zenna away from me! Let her live! Let her live! PLEASE LET MY BEST FRIEND LIVE!" **I screech at the skies in agony, blood and tears streaming down my face.

I continue to screech and cry out to the gods for mercy until, finally, Henna and Edgar find me cradling their daughter in my wings. Henna lets out a strangled sob, collapsing to her knees and crawling over to her barely alive daughter while Edgar yells, "Stoick! Stoick, please help us!" in an urgent yet very much frightened tone.

I whimper not from the pain but from the fear as Henna takes Zenna into her arms, her shoulders shaking and her blue eyes filling with tears. "Zenna…Oh, my sweet girl…My baby…Mommy's here…Mommy's here, sweetie…" she sobs out, the tears flowing down her face like waterfalls. Stoick finally comes and gasps at what he sees. "We need to get her out of here. She's not going to last long outside…" Edgar says in a hushed tone. Nodding, Stoick calls some of the men over and they take me and Zenna back to one of the ships that hadn't been destroyed in the Queen's rampage.

"There's no other way…Either she keeps that eye or she dies…We have to take her right eye out," one of the women says gravely. Henna covers her mouth to muffle her scream while Edgar turns pale as a sheet. I whine worriedly and curl up around Zenna, wrapping my tail around her protectively. "We'll have to take your right eye as well, young dragon…" the woman says sadly and makes a move to sedate me so she can take out my damaged right eye. I'm already teetering on the brink of unconsciousness yet I manage to shake my head and motion with my head to Zenna.

'_Save her first before you think about me…Please…_' I silently plead, locking my one working eye with the woman's. She understands me and promises me that Zenna's operation will be quick.

And it is.

I am terrified that Zenna will suddenly start screaming and thrashing about in pain but she stays completely still throughout the entire ordeal, deeply unconscious and not moving a muscle.

My vision starts to go black and the last thing I hear before succumbing to sweet, merciful unconsciousness was the woman, a healer I suppose, talking to Zenna's parents.

"The only thing we can do now…hope…when she wakes up…still sane…Brain…damaged…blood loss…"

'_Let Zenna live…Please…let my best friend live…_' I think before I finally pass out…

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**Read and review!**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	17. Return to Berk

**Okay, guys. Sorry this took so long. Mild writer's block and then there's the slight nerves I'm getting as college looms closer. Anyway, enjoy this update!**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**Chapter 17: Return to Berk**

(_Dream Starts_)

'_I am lying in a lush green meadow, surrounded by sweet-smelling wildflowers, and safe and warm. The air has the scent of a warm, clear summer's day and the sunlight warms my scales._

_I feel somebody gently nuzzling me and I open my eyes…_

"**Mother! Father!" **_I get up and see, to my delight, my mother, Magnhild, and my father, Haldor, smiling at me. Tears spring to my eyes as I am wrapped in the wings of my loving parents. We are together again…after all these years…_

"**I missed you two so much…" **_I whisper, tears running down my face. My mother nuzzles me and says, _**"My dear, sweet Erika…Oh, we're so proud…You and Destin have done it…You've brought dragons and humans together…"** _with love and pride. I look at my parents and sheepishly smile. _**"Well, we…we didn't do it all alone…We had Hiccup and…" **_I suddenly trail off, remembering Zenna._

_Father sees my worried look and calms me with a gentle nudge. _**"It's going to be alright, Erika…Zenna will be alright…You saved her," **_he tells me gently. I nod slowly but, then, I remember Zenna's right eye and begin to cry. _**"But her right eye…She doesn't have her right eye anymore and it's my fault…" **_I sob. My parents comfortingly drape their wings over me and nuzzle me._

"**So have you, my daughter, but you've come to terms with it. Both you and Zenna have sacrificed so much to bring our worlds together," **_Mother tells me. I stop crying and look up at her. She lovingly nuzzles me and I sigh. Father then nudges me. _**"When you wake up, you have to be strong for her. She's going to need you…more than ever…" **_he advises me. I suddenly begin to feel sleepy and I yawn, curling up against my parents' like I used to when I was still a baby._

"**Good night, Mother…Good night, Father…" **_I yawn as I close my eyes. _**"Good night…Stryka…Good night our dear daughter…until we meet again…" **_my parents croon to me as I let myself slip into sleep…_

_(Dream Ends)_

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The lapping of waves brings me out of my slumber and I awaken to see the ocean in front of me. My whole body aches from the battle but I manage to lift my head and see that I am on a boat being pulled by a black-haired boy riding the same Monstrous Nightmare from the kill ring. I then feel Toothless gently nuzzle me and I sigh with relief as I turn to look at him. He has a few bandages wrapped around his limbs and he doesn't have his saddle or prosthetic tail fin anymore but he's okay.

"**Toothless…" **I whisper, relieved beyond words, and try to crawl over to him but I'm too weak. Toothless crawls over to me instead and gently licks my face and nuzzles me lovingly. **"My love…Oh gods, I was so worried…It is so good to see you awake, Stryka…" **he whispers to me. I smile at him before feeling the cotton on the right side of my face and hide my head behind my wing in shame. Toothless gently nudges me, making me look at him with my one good eye. **"I must look awful to you…One of my starry eyes is gone…" **I murmur, embarrassed. Toothless nuzzles me, taking great care not to rub against the bandaged right side of my face.

"**You are still the most beautiful dragon in the world, Stryka…A missing eye will not change the way I see my mate…" **Toothless tells me, draping his wing over me. I sigh before seeing Stoick and Zenna's parents looking at us.

"They're mates…" Stoick says in a tone that suggests that he is surprised. "Did it take you that long to figure it out, Stoick?" Henna slightly smiles before going over to me and pats my head. "How are you feeling, dear?" she asks me softly. I croon and smile my toothless smile and Toothless does the same. "Oh, so _that's _why Hiccup named you '_Toothless_', Toothless," Edgar laughs. Toothless and I both laugh our dragon laughs before we spot Hiccup and Zenna lying on some furs nearby.

Toothless and I both croon, wanting to go to them. Instead, Stoick brings Hiccup over to Toothless and Edgar carries Zenna to me. I instantly relax when Zenna is safe between my paws but, when I see the bloody wad of cotton over the right side of Zenna's face, I whimper and nuzzle her face gently. Zenna doesn't even stir. Toothless, on the other hand, rumbles worriedly as he nuzzles Hiccup. One look at Hiccup's amputated left leg and I shudder.

Toothless looks at me with a guilty look and sighs. **"I couldn't save all of him…" **he whispers, tears welling up in his eyes. I nuzzle him reassuringly and tenderly lick his face. All of a sudden, Hiccup and Zenna start moving and whimpering. Toothless and I both nuzzle them gently and they instantly calm down. Then Edgar and Henna get an idea and they move them closer to each other. Hiccup and Zenna instinctively move their hands and, once their fingers touch, they smile in their sleep.

'_Even in their sleep, they can sense when the other is close…_' Toothless and I both thought, smiling. Then the two-limbed Viking with a dirty blond mustache hobbles over to us and regards us with something that resembles awe. "Beard of Thor…how in Odin's name did those two ever manage…?" he mutters. "Your guess is as good as ours, _Gobber_. We'll have to ask them when they wake up…" Stoick tells him. "Hopefully, it'll be soon…" Henna sighs worriedly. Toothless and I both croon in agreement and resume our duty of looking after Hiccup and Zenna.

A few hours later, the people on the boats that have joined us start yelling, "Land! Land!" and Toothless and I look up from our younglings to see Berk up ahead. "We're home…" Edgar breathes out in relief. Zenna slightly shifts in her sleep and I nuzzle her. **"You're home, Zenna…You're back home…" **I warble to her and, as if she can hear me, Zenna smiles and snuggles into the safety of my wings.

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**Read and review. Those two things help me get rid of writer's block!**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	18. I Hate Waiting

**Okay guys, I'm really sorry if I haven't been updating this story lately. It's just that I have been working on finishing Riders and Defenders of Berk and also preparing for college. To be honest, I am a little more than nervous for that. **

**My updating schedules will start becoming random next week but, rest assured, I am never abandoning any of my stories. Maybe putting them on hiatus but NEVER abandoning them. In the meantime, until the last chapter of Riders and Defenders of Berk is uploaded, enjoy this update to "Through the Eyes of A Striker".**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**Chapter 18: I Hate Waiting**

When the ship docks at port, Hiccup and Zenna are taken from us. Toothless gamely follows, ignoring the stares from the villagers, while I struggle to walk. It's not easy. My right eye is gone and I'm still weak from the blood loss. Luckily Edgar and Henna walk on either side of me, helping me every time I stumble or start tipping over to the side.

Stoick takes Hiccup to his house, which is beside this big structure built into the side of a cliff with two Viking statues standing guard on either side while Zenna is taken to a house near Hiccup's house. Toothless follows Stoick but gives me a loving nuzzle before he leaves. **"Rest now, my love…You've earned it," **he whispers to me as he follows Stoick to Hiccup's house. I unsteadily lope on over to Zenna's house. The healer who had helped earlier gives Zenna to Henna while Edgar enters the house. I hear some strained grunts and a loud _thump! _Before Henna goes inside and beckons me to follow. When I see the inside of Zenna's house, curiosity replaces my fear. Zenna's house is fairly spacious and has a warm fire roaring in the hearth. The whole place has a cheery and inviting air, which I like.

I see Zenna's bed near the fireplace and I whine worriedly as Henna and Edgar tuck her in. In the light of the fire, Zenna's face glows almost a ghostly white with the upper right side of her face covered in bloody bandages. I whimper and go over to Zenna and nudge my snout under her limp left hand. Zenna doesn't even twitch a finger.

Edgar then goes over to me and lowers himself to my level. His face is kind and gentle as he places his hand on my nose. "Stryka, thank you for saving my daughter…" he whispers gratefully. I gurgle a "_You're welcome._" And smile my toothless smile. Henna smiles fondly at me and goes over to a nearby basket. She opens it and takes out a large salmon. My one eye zeroes in on the fish and my mouth starts to water. "Good girl…" Henna says softly and throws me the fish. I catch the salmon and finish it in two quick gulps. Then exhaustion takes over and I curl up next to Zenna's bed, making sure to drape a wing over her to give her an extra layer of warmth, before I fall asleep.

What I don't know is that when I woke up…it would be the start of waiting…and waiting…waiting…and waiting for Zenna to wake up.

And that's when I realize…that I hate waiting.

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Seconds turn to minutes that turn into hours that turn into days that turn into weeks…

And, through all that, I stay by Zenna's side. Edgar and Henna leave the house sparingly and devote their entire time to watching over their daughter, trying to get her to drink water every so often so she wouldn't get dehydrated, trying so hard to make sure she gets nourishment by forcing a few spoonfuls of broth or warm milk into her mouth and bathing her in clean water to get rid of the dirt and grime and changing her bandages daily. They also make sure to keep me comfortable as I heal from my injury. Of course, I do not act spoiled and always make sure to help them in anything they need help with. When Edgar needs help carrying wood for the fire, I carry a few small logs for him. And when Henna needs to get a pot from a high place, I help her by letting her stand on my back so she can reach it. As the days drag on, I begin to trust Zenna's parents and, in turn, they trust me and care for me. I guess I should let you guys know that they both give _amazing _belly rubs!

But Zenna still remains unconscious. I soon learn that she has slipped into a "coma", a long and deep sleep from which Edgar and Henna fear she might not ever wake up from. But I remain positive. Zenna is strong. She would heal and she would wake up from her coma, stronger than ever before.

And, then about two weeks after the battle with the Red Death, Zenna has a fever.

Edgar, Henna and I spend three days straight without sleeping, trying our best to bring Zenna's fever down. Zenna doesn't even stir and just lies in bed, her face pale with only a fierce red flush around her cheeks to indicate a raging fever. Her injury had been healing up rather well but, then, an infection had set in and she was suffering quietly.

I whimper worriedly and tenderly lick Zenna's forehead, hoping to cool her down, but it doesn't help much. Edgar and Henna barely move from her bedside, wiping down Zenna's face with cool, wet rags almost every ten minutes. The first day was bearable, the second was agonizing.

The third day…her heart stopped.

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"Zen…? Zenna? Zenna! Oh gods, help! Somebody, help!"

Henna's terrified screams woke me up from my sleep late that night and I blearily open my one eye to see Edgar and Henna panicking. That's when I noticed that Edgar is frantically pumping on Zenna's chest. Thinking that he is hurting her, I roar in alarm and try to tackle Edgar away from Zenna but Henna holds me back. "Stryka, her heart's stopped! He's trying to revive her!" she screams at me.

'_Zenna's heart has stopped…_'

I watch, with my eye wide in terror, as Edgar pumps a steady rhythm on Zenna's chest, hoping to restart her heart. I look at Zenna's face and see that the red flush on her cheeks is gone…replaced with a pale gray color that could only mean one thing…

_Death._

"**No…No…Zenna, no…" **I whimper and begin to cry as Edgar soon tires out and looks at Henna with an utterly broken look. Henna's face crumples as she lets out a loud wail and takes Zenna into her arms. My Rider's head lolls forward towards my face and I see no trace of pain on Zenna's face, only peace.

But I don't want to see her like this. I want to see Zenna awake and alive! I want to see her smile, open her one remaining violet eye and laugh. I want to go flying with her again, touch the clouds, and soar forevermore with Zenna…

I want Zenna back…

I want my Rider back…

_I WANT MY BEST FRIEND BACK!_

I roar in despair and nudge my head under Zenna's pale hand, the tears welling up in my one green eye and trickling down my scaly face as I weep the only way a dragon can, my pained moans and whimpers echoing in the silence.

"**Zenna, please…come back…Please come back…I can't lose you…I can't lose my best friend…Please come back to us…**_**Please come back to me**_**…" ** I sob out as I lightly place my head against Zenna's chest to try and listen for a heartbeat or hear her take a breath.

After a few minutes…Zenna's body suddenly jerks and I hear a gasp as she takes a breath of air and her heartbeat fills my ears. I almost collapse out of sheer relief while Edgar and Henna both let out shaky breaths as their daughter comes back to life. Zenna's eye remains closed but she shifts around her mother's arms, gasping for air and, eventually, calms down into a peaceful slumber.

No words are said between the three of us as we put Zenna to bed but I could see in Edgar and Henna's eyes gratitude towards the gods…and me.

Now…we just have to wait a little while longer for Zenna to wake up.

'_I hate waiting…especially after this…_' I think as I remain by Zenna's bed and watching her sleep. At least the fever has broken and she is sleeping much more comfortably now. **"Wake up soon, Zenna…please?" **I whine and nudge her sleeping face. Zenna's lips slightly twitch up in a smile and her hand finds my snout.

"Stry…ka…"

I smile as I hear my name come from Zenna's mouth and know that, now, everything would be okay…

Zenna would wake up soon and everything will be okay…

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**Read and Review! Those two things make me very happy!**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	19. An Eye for an Eye

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**Chapter 19: An Eye for an Eye**

I'm just hanging out on one of the ceiling beams of the house, taking a nap, when my ears prick up at the sound of Zenna's voice.

"Hey…"

My eye snaps open and I look down to see Zenna, my dear sweet youngling, finally, _FINALLY_, awake. I want so badly to just jump down from my napping spot and clamber onto her bed and embrace her the only way I can, which is with my wings, tails and all four limbs wrapped around her, but wait patiently as Edgar and Henna fuss over their daughter.

'_A whole month…An entire month filled with nothing but anxiety and she's awake at last…Thank you, Mother…Thank you, Father…Thank you all gods and goddesses of Valhalla…_' I think gratefully as I listen to Zenna and her parents talk.

"Oh, thank the gods…Thank the gods…" Henna weeps, tears of joy running down her face, while Edgar tightly embraces Zenna who looks a little bit confused. "How long was I asleep for?" she asks. "A whole, solid _month_. It was touch and go for a while. We almost lost you," Edgar replies.

'_No kidding…Her heart practically stopped beating once…_' I think before swinging down from my place in the rafters. Zenna looks at me and, immediately, her face breaks out into a wide grin. "_Stryka!_" she exclaims. I smile my toothless and smile and go over to my Rider, tenderly licking her face clean of the dirt and grime Edgar and Henna hadn't successfully wiped off when they gave Zenna a sponge bath this morning. Zenna giggles and pets me, her one remaining violet eye shining with joy.

Then she sees the deep pitted scar where my right eye should have been and freaks.

"Oh, my gods, your eye! _Stryka, what happened to your right eye?!_" she screams in horror. When it looks like Zenna is about to have a panic attack, I softly croon to her and gently nuzzle her. **"I lost it when we crashed into the Queen's tail, but it's okay. I'm okay, Zenna…I'm okay…" **I warble as I nuzzle Zenna.

"She was wounded when we found you safely wrapped in her wings. We couldn't save her right eye and…" Henna manages to explain to Zenna before trailing off. Edgar then points to his right eye and Zenna automatically reaches out a hand to touch the right side of her face and that's when she discovers that her right eye, like mine, is gone. When she looks to her father for an explanation, Edgar looks nervous but manages to slowly explain. "You…also had to have an eye taken out. If we didn't do it, the infection could've killed you. Good thing you were completely out so Stryka didn't panic when the operation was done. She passed out as soon as your operation was done so we could work on her, too," he then chuckles nervously.

I see on Zenna's face at least a dozen emotions playing out as her father's words sink in and I know that it's hard to fully grasp. Even I felt shocked, scared and confused when I woke up to find out that I only have one eye. Henna helps Zenna undo the bandages and gauze on her face. My heart cracks when she sees her scar for the very first time. It's nothing gruesome or anything…just a healing month-old scar from where her right eye had been taken out. Apart from a few burns on her face, she still looks like my dear youngling…my sweet Rider…

"So that's what he meant…"Zenna murmurs, making me, Edgar and Henna look at her in confusion. "Who?" Edgar and Henna ask. "Elias. Mom, Dad, I saw Elias. He told me that he was so proud of me and Hiccup…He also said that he loves you and misses you…Keep a sharp eye – literally…So that's what Eli meant…" Zenna says softly, as if remembering.

"**Oh, Zenna…" **I whimper and push my snout into her tummy. **"I'm so sorry, my youngling…I should have tried harder to protect you…" **I whine, my one green eye showing pure remorse. Zenna laughs, "An eye for an eye…Looks like the expression came true…" and pets me while murmuring reassuring words in my ear, telling me that it wasn't my fault and that it was okay. Deep down, I still feel guilty. But, in some way, Zenna is right. She and I are now both one-eyed and, in a way, that makes us equals. And that's enough to make me feel a little better.

Then I hear Zenna's stomach growl and I gurgle in amusement as she looks at her parents sheepishly. "Um…What's for breakfast?" Zenna asks. "Lunch, actually, love. And I've been making your favorite for the whole month in case you woke up," Henna laughs as Edgar hands Zenna a bowl of lamb and fish stew. In just minutes, Zenna empties the bowl and is satisfied.

I curl up at the foot of Zenna's bed as her parents tell her of what has happened while she had been unconscious. When Edgar and Henna tell her that Hiccup had lost his left leg and was still in a coma, she was speechless. But, after a few minutes, she manages to speak. "Well _that's _pretty messed up. I had a head injury so _I _should be the one still in a coma…" she says, looking sad. '_You and Hiccup don't deserve to be in a coma, Zen…You two are our heroes, Dragons and Vikings alike…_' I think before the door opens and Stoick enters. I have long since forgiven him but I'm not sure how Zenna would react to his presence so I feign sleepiness and go back to the rafters to pretend to take a nap while Edgar and Henna leave.

I keep my eye and ears open as they talk.

"I'm glad to see that you're awake…" Stoick begins awkwardly. "Thank you, sir…" Zenna replies, a little stiff. Stoick then takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly before Zenna suddenly says, "I'm sorry for what I said before, sire. I wasn't really in control with myself…" looking apologetic.

I am surprised but keep quiet as Stoick replies, "You had every right to be mad. And you were right about everything. I'm sorry," with a sigh. "I forgive you," Zenna smiles and the Chief laughs, lightly ruffling her raven black hair. "I'm looking forward to seeing you up and about again, Fiersome. I'm sure the dragons and everyone else will be happy to see you," Stoick tells my Rider before he leaves.

When Edgar and Henna return from upstairs, Zenna immediately asks them, "Can I go outside tomorrow?" making them look at each other worriedly for a few seconds before looking back at her. "As long as you don't stay out too late and bundle up. Winter's already arrived," Edgar tells her. Zenna looks outside the window and smiles, seeing the fresh white powdery snow blanketing the village. I have yet to go outside and, already, I am excited to see the snow from the outside. "I suppose the fresh air would do you and your dragon good. Stryka hasn't set foot outside of the house ever since we came back to Berk. And, tomorrow, wear _this_," Henna then hands Zenna an exquisite black leather eye patch. "Did Gobber make it?" Zenna asks, admiring the craftsmanship. Henna and Edgar nod and mention that the two-limbed blacksmith is even making me and Toothless new saddles.

Remind me to give that old Gobber a nice, big, thank you lick when I see him!

As night fell, Zenna fell asleep…with me finding a way to stuff myself into her little bed so I can curl up with her.

Edgar and Henna let me. My Rider's parents are cool.

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**Sorry this took so long, guys. College and whatnot. In the meantime, read and review!**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	20. My New Home

**Okay, for starters…I am so sorry this took so long to update! My sincerest apologies!**

**I'll try to update a bit more frequently…I hope.**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**Chapter 20: My New Home**

I wake up and nudge Zenna awake. For a second, I am afraid that she has slipped into another coma but relax when she opens her one violet eye and smiles at me. "Morning, Stryka!" she chirps and I gurgle happily. Using me as a support, she slowly gets out of bed. "Ack!" Zenna yelps, about to fall over as she tries to stand on her own, before I catch her before she ends up face planting on the floor. **"Easy, Zenna…Take it easy…" **I croon as I help her stand

"Thanks, girl…" Zenna sighs and, with me supporting her, takes a few wobbly steps around the family den. I cheer on the inside when Zenna lets go of me and takes a few steps on her own. It doesn't look like missing one eye is affecting her vision either so that's a really good thing.

Zenna's parents set out a big basket of fish for me while they sit at their table and have breakfast. After eating, Henna gives Zenna a woolen scarf to go along with her fur coat. Together, we step outside and are immediately greeted with the frigid winter air. "Okay…what should we do first?" Zenna wonders out loud, breathing out little misty clouds as we take in the sight of Berk blanketed with snow. '_I don't know about you, Zen, but I'm going to go play!_' I think and start frolicking around in the snow. Snow is cold and wet, which keeps dragons from breathing fire if we stay in it for too long, but it's so much fun to play in! I roll around and around in the cool white stuff until I am dusted with a layer of white. I warble to Zenna to join me. "Come on, Stryka. Let's go see Hiccup and Toothless," she laughs.

Toothless! My brave Toothless! I haven't seen him ever since we got back from Berk. Excited, I shake the snow off of my body and follow him to the Haddock residence. Zenna and I look around, the peace and quiet utterly foreign to me since I've always heard a lot of noise during the raids in the past. When we reach Hiccup's house, the largest house in the entire village, Zenna knocks on the door. Stoick opens it and greets us with a sad smile. "Come in…" he says and swings the door wide open so I can fit. I saw Toothless eating from a basket of fish and I smile, happy to see him after all these weeks. **"Toothless!" **I call out to him and he looks up from his food. Toothless' face breaks out in a wide, gummy grin. **"Stryka!" **he answers as I bound over to him. We nuzzle each other with the utmost affection and cuddle together like we haven't seen each other in years.

Okay, we haven't seen each other in only about a month but it sure feels like I haven't seen my beloved mate in a long while!

"**My love…I've missed you so much, my beautiful starlight…" **Toothless whispers to me as we nuzzle each other. **"I missed you, too, Toothless…I missed you so much…" **I reply while Stoick and Zenna look on. "They're a lovely couple, aren't they?" Stoick chuckles. Zenna smiles and goes over to Toothless. "Hey there, big guy. Miss me?" she asks. **"Of course! I missed you just as much as I missed Stryka, Zenna!" **Toothless says, giving Zenna a big slobbery lick. I smile as Zenna laughs and shakes Toothless' spit off her face.

However, when she sees Hiccup in bed, her smile vanishes. I look at Toothless worriedly and he shakes his head. **"Why couldn't I have been fast enough? If I had just reached him in time, he would still have both legs…" **he laments. I nuzzle him gently. **"It isn't your fault, my love…" **I say as Zenna looked at Hiccup, who was pale as sheet as he slept, and turned to Stoick apprehensively. "May I?" she asks timidly while holding the edge of Hiccup's blanket. Stoick nods and Zenna pulls back the covers.

"**Oh…"**

"…_Oh…"_

Zenna and I both stare at Hiccup's left leg, now ending in a stump just a few inches below the knee…

"You should've seen him screaming and thrashing about when it had to be done. We could've used your presence there…To calm him down." Stoick says, his eyes filled with sadness. I can only wonder how in Midgard will Hiccup be able to walk and fly Toothless again as Zenna places the blanket over Hiccup and his stump. "Will he ever be able to…you know…" Zenna mumbles. "Gobber will be here in an hour to make measurements for his prosthetic," Stoick tells her.

'_A prosthetic…like Toothless' tail fin…Now they can be truly equals…_' I find myself thinking, glancing at Toothless and his tail with one missing tail fin. "I'll stay here and help," Zenna offers and Stoick smiles. "I would really appreciate it," he answers and leaves the house, to go do some chiefing, I suppose, while Zenna takes a chair and watches over Hiccup as he sleeps.

Toothless and I entertain ourselves by playing with Zenna in the corner while making sure not to break anything. According to Toothless, he had already violated that rule thrice. **"It's not my fault I bumped into that cupboard. Everything here is so small and so easy to reach, my wings and tail keep bumping into them!" **Toothless says when I laugh after he told me how annoyed Stoick was when he accidentally sent all the dishes flying out of a cupboard. **"Well, next time, you should look where you're going!" **I laugh before telling him how the weeks of waiting had been such agony for me. When I get to the part of Zenna's heart stopping, Toothless' face softens. **"That almost happened to Hiccup as well. He got such a high fever shortly after being brought home. I thought…I thought I was going to lose him for real…" **he whispers, tears welling up in his eyes. I comfortingly lick his cheek as Zenna sighed. She takes Hiccup's pale hand in hers. "I hope you wake up soon, Hicc…It's too lonely and too quiet here without you…" she sighs. I am about to go to her and comfort her when the door suddenly opens and Zenna jumps to her feet.

Luckily, it's just Gobber and not an assassin.

"Well, good to see you up, lass!" he jovially greets Zenna as he comes in. He brushes a finger over her eye patch and inquires, "Not too itchy on you, is it?" to which Zenna shakes her head and replies, "It fits great, Gobber. One of your finest leatherworks yet."

"Och'…wait till you see them saddles I'm working on for Toothless and Stryka. _Then _you can tell me I've made the finest!" Gobber laughs and, then, grimaces as Toothless and I both give him thank you licks.

Zenna merely laughs and helps Gobber make the measurement for Hiccup's new leg while Toothless and I bond. "Are you going to make him a peg leg?" Zenna asks Gobber. "Nah! For Hiccup, his leg's got to have a little bit of 'im thrown in there. I'll be modifying the left stirrup on Toothless' saddle so it can just snap right into place. We also found all of those drawings you two made. Can't believe that you two have been keeping these two lovebirds a secret for a month and a half until we found out!" replies, gesturing to Toothless and I as we give each other licks on the cheek.

"**What?" **Toothless and I both ask, confused, when Zenna and Gobber laugh at us. "Well…I won't be able to get that mental image out of my brain anytime soon," Zenna jokes, making Gobber laugh harder.

Human humor can be so strange sometimes!

An hour and a half passes and Stoick returns from chiefing and Zenna and I go. Walking around the village, I watch as many Vikings come to us and give Zenna big smiles and warm hugs. I have to admit that the Vikings aren't as violent as I had originally thought. They're actually very nice! And the children! Oh, the young ones are so adorable! They run up to me and gives me a pat and I purr. "I touched a Night Fury!" the children squeal in delight before going on their way.

"There's our food storage, Stryka…Over there, the docks…the dressmaker's shop…the market…"

My one green eye does its best to keep up with Zenna as she points out to me all the different places in Berk. And, all the while, I see dragons and Vikings living together and having fun in the snow together like one big happy family.

Berk is now beginning to feel more like home.

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**I hope you guys liked this. I'll do my best to write a better chapter with some bonus content that didn't make it into The Fiersome Chronicles. Till then, read and review ;)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	21. New Friends

**Sorry this took so long. College is currently taking up majority of my time because first semester is about to end and I have a ton of papers and other requirements to pass. I was only able to get a break this weekend to work on some of my stories. Tomorrow, back to college studies for me…Yay…**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**Chapter 21: New Friends**

Toothless joins me as Zenna takes me to the stables, where Zenna and Hiccup's friends are waiting for us along with their dragons. "Stryka, Toothless, meet the gang: Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs and the Twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut. Gang, meet Stryka and Toothless," Zenna introduces her friends with a slightly nervous smile on her face.

Fishlegs, the portly Viking with a helmet too small to entirely cover his light blond haired-head, immediately scurries over to Toothless and I and starts examining us closely. "Ooh, I can hardly believe it! Two Night Furies, the most elusive species of dragons out there! Look at their claws! And their scales…" he squeaks excitedly as he holds up my left front paw and carefully pets Toothless.

"**He's certainly…curious…" **I warble to Zenna who, even if she can't understand me, laughs upon seeing my slightly awkward facial expression. Toothless merely rolls his eyes as Fishlegs finishes making a quick sketch of us in his notebook. He then whistles and a Gronckle, the same Gronckle I had been with while incarcerated in the old killing arena when Zenna was taken from me, waddles over.

"**Night Fury, it's so good to see you!" **she rumbles, looking happy. **"It's you! Thank Thor you're all right! I was worried about you and the rest of the dragons when you all joined in the fight!" **I warble happily and smile my toothless smile. The Gronckle smiled at me as her Fishlegs says to Zenna, "This handsome fella here is my _Meatlug_!"

I glance at the Gronckle, confused. **"He has yet to figure out that I am female…" **the Gronckle sighed. Toothless begins to chuckle but I quickly swat his face with my wing. I then amble over to the twin Vikings, who both look excited to see me. "Whoa…Night Fury…unholy offspring of lightning and death itself…" the female twin breathes out. "And she's got a scar like Zenna's!" the male twin exclaims excitedly. I roll my eye at them and give them both a playful nudge. "Stryka, these are the Thorston Twins. Ruffnut's the girl and Tuffnut's the boy," Zenna points to them both so I could tell them apart.

I nod before turning to the Hideous Zippleback. **"Pleasure to meet you, Night Fury," **the gas head greets me before the spark head butts in with, **"Hey, you told me **_**I **_**get to greet her earlier!"**

"**I changed my mind!" **the gas head hisses before both heads start snapping their jaws at each other! I back away when the gas head spews his explosive gas and Toothless shields me with his wing when the spark head ignites it. "_Barf!_" Ruffnut scolds the gas head. "_Belch!_" Tuffnut tries to pull the spark head away from its twin. **"Barf and Belch…" **I muse, glancing at Toothless. **"A fitting name for a troublemaking dragon," **Toothless remarks while Zenna rolls her eyes and moves onto the short stack Viking with…

"**YOU!" **Toothless and I snarl once we see the same Monstrous Nightmare that had attacked Hiccup and Zenna in the arena all those weeks ago. If Zenna hadn't placated us, we would have torn him to shreds. **"At ease, Night Furies. I've learned my lesson never to trifle with you two," **the Monstrous Nightmare says calmly although I can detect a hint of fear in those yellow eyes of his. The short Viking with a pompous air momentarily loses a bit of his pomp when he sees Toothless and I glaring at him. "I don't think they like _Hookfang _that much…" he whispers to Zenna. Toothless and I give Hookfang sharp looks and he has the decency to look down at his claws. "Can you blame them, _Snotlout_? Your dragon could have killed me and Hiccup when we were in the arena," Zenna told him.

Then Astrid comes forward with her Deadly Nadder. Toothless and I don't need to be introduced to Astrid but we get acquainted with her Nadder, the same one I had helped during the battle with the Red Death. **"Stormfly's the name. Nice to see you two again, Night Furies,"** the Deadly Nadder greets us. **"Call me Toothless. Nice to meet you," **Toothless warbles. I smile at Stormfly, happy to see that she's partnered up with someone as good as Astrid. "She's amazing, Zen. I wouldn't be surprised if Stormfly can give Toothless and Stryka a run for their money," Astrid tells my Rider with a coy smile. I look at Stormfly and she chuckles. **"I like her. She's got competitive spirit. It seems to me we'll be seeing each other in a few races in the near future," **she tells me. **"Looking forward to that," **I reply, knowing that not even the fastest Deadly Nadder can beat Toothless and I in a contest of speed.

The rest of the day, Toothless and I play (_yes, dragons play_) with the other dragons in the snow. Our Riders join in on the fun. They form these balls out of snow and, with great glee, start pelting one another with them. This snowball fight, as Zenna told Toothless and I the mechanics of the game, was fun to watch. We got to join in on the fun, too. And, let me say, we dragons easily win snowball fights because we can dump huge amounts of snow on our Riders heads!

By the time Zenna and I leave for home, I've gained new friends.

And not just friends of my own kind.

I've made human friends, too.

* * *

**My other stories, "HTTYD: Frozen Fire", "I'll Let You Go If You Let Me Go", and "Ice Water" are still on hiatus but I plan on getting back to them once first semester in college ends.**

**Also, I've started experimenting with Harry Potter fanfiction and have posted a new story called "The Other Dursley". Feel free to check it out ;)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	22. Planning A Part for A Comatose Hero

**Hey, everyone! Surprise, this story still lives! Since it's semestral break, I finally have more time to write. Hope you all enjoy this new chapter!**

**NOTE: I OWN NOTHING!**

* * *

**Chapter 22: Planning A Party for A Comatose Hero**

"**Wake up…"** I nudge Zenna again while she's asleep. She merely rolls onto her side and draws the blanket tightly around her. **"Come on, Zen…Flying time…" **I take one corner of the blanket in my mouth and pull until my youngling gets pulled out of bed. "Holy Shields!" Zenna yelps softly as she falls to the floor, tangled in her blanket. I help her get out of the blanket tangle and warble softly, motioning with my head to the open window.

"Stryka, how often do we have to go out for night flights?" Zenna groans, rubbing her one good eye sleepily. **"At least once a week. We Night Furies adore the night," **I croon as Zenna sighs and she places my new saddle on my back.

Making sure Zenna's parents have gone to bed, we take off into the night. "Woohoo!" Zenna whoops with glee as we fly up into the clouds to greet the moon and stars. The dancing lights of the North ripple across the sky and Zenna reaches out to touch them. "I wish Hiccup was here to see this…" she murmurs and I sigh, **"Me too, Zenna, me too…"** as we continue our night flight.

* * *

The weekly night flight was just one small part of our daily routine. Zenna and I would wake up and have breakfast with the rest of the family before heading on over to the Haddocks. We'd check on Hiccup, I would convince Toothless to come outside, and help Stoick with whatever little household chore he needed assistance with, then, go out for a morning flight. Unfortunately for my beloved mate, Gobber still hasn't finished making a new tail fin for him so he's confined to the ground. But Zenna, creative one she is, devised a way for him to get exercise. Before lunch, the three of us would run around the village with Zenna cheering, "Up, down, up, down! That's it, Toothless! Keep those legs a-pumpin' and those wings a-flappin'! Up, down! Up, down! That's it! Let's go, go, go!" making us quite a sight to see. Those brief moments where I would get to spend some quality time with Toothless are filled with pleasure as we often head off to the Cove when no one is in need of us.

But, as time dragged on, Hiccup hasn't woken up yet and we're all beginning to feel a little depressed. Poor Stoick is the worst, hardly smiling and when he does it doesn't quite meet his eyes.

"He'll be okay, sir. He's getting better. He'll wake up soon. I'm sure of it," Zenna always tells him whenever we stop by for tea. Stoick would just nod, absentmindedly running his fingers through Hiccup's hair, silent all throughout until Zenna and I leave. Every time we were done visiting the Haddocks, Zenna would sigh sadly. I can tell that she didn't like this. All these wonderful changes in Berk but her best human friend in a coma while her best human friend's father is depressed. Even us dragons were beginning to feel a little down.

* * *

"**Life here on Berk's good…but I feel like we're missing something," **Barf once said as we hung out in an empty field one fine winter morning. **"For once, I agree with you. But what is it? What are we missing?" **Belch nodded in agreement. **"It can't be food. We have lots of it right here," **Hookfang gulped down some fish he had pilfered from the docks while Meatlug sighed, **"I just wonder what our Riders are doing. Earlier this morning, Stormfly's Rider came to our house and asked for Fishlegs. He's been gone all day."**

Stormfly, who seemed rather anxious to tell us something, finally announced, **"My Rider wants to throw the village a celebration. She told me last night. It'll be a celebration to honor Toothless' Rider." **

All of us dragons stared at her in surprise. **"You couldn't have told us that sooner?" **Hookfang deadpanned. **"Keep your opinions to yourself, Hook'," **Toothless grumbled before looking at Stormfly curiously. **"A party in Hiccup's honor?" **he asked. **"That's right. And all the dragons are going to be invited. This will be our first celebration with the humans so I think we should all put our best claw, paw, talon or wing forward," **Stormfly nodded. I had been quiet the whole time and, after hearing Stormfly's little announcement, I stepped forward.

"**Be on your best behavior, all of you, on the day of the celebration. The last thing we want is to upset any of the humans. Peace is a fragile thing. We've finally got our peace. Let's make sure we don't lose it," **I say with such seriousness even Barf and Belch don't make any jokes about it. Toothless smiles warmly at me and drapes his wing over my back. **"We won't lose it, my love. As long as we stick together with Hiccup and Zenna, peace will always be ours," **he reassures me. My heart lifts as he says that and it lifts even more when we all come together to make a pact that we will be on our best behavior during the celebration.

And, in that very moment, me, Toothless, Stormfly, Hookfang, Meatlug and Barf and Belch became a team.

* * *

Our Riders arrive a while later to tell us of the plan that we already knew. And we listen intently, taking mental notes of the tasks we have been assigned, before telling our Riders in our own little ways that we get it. Parting ways, we set off to do our tasks. First thing we have to do is inform some trustworthy adults of our plan. Many of them are willing to help in gathering food for the big feast like Hoark and Phlegma while Gobber and Zenna's parents take it upon themselves to decorate the Great Hall.

As for us, we get to do the most fun part: telling the story of how everything changed. Zenna starts the story, telling her friends how Hiccup had shot Toothless down, getting ambushed by me, and soon getting to the part where the four of us formed our forbidden friendships. To add more flair to the tale, Toothless and I even did a reenactment of the time we drew Berk in the ground and Zenna stepped on our art again. Only, this time, we both pretended to be angry. The three of us knew that this was what had really led to the formation of our bond with Hiccup and Zenna.

"Whoa…I can't believe all it took for you and Hiccup to befriend two Night Furies was a dance…" Snotlout remarked. "That, and we had to eat fish…_that came out of their stomachs_," Zenna informed them, delighting in the mixed reactions she got from her friends. Poor Fishlegs looked like he was about to be sick while Astrid just looked plain shocked. The Twins, on the other hand, were now calling Zenna '_The Daring Queen_' and worshipping her like a goddess.

Stormfly and the other dragons merely looked at Toothless and I in amazement. **"You shared your food with them? You do realize…?" **Meatlug asked before Toothless politely cut in. **"Yes, Stryka and I formally adopted Hiccup and Zenna as our own. They may not be dragons but we consider them our hatchlings," **he told the rest. I smile and gently nose my snout into Zenna's palm, purring as she gently pets me. "If someone had told me before I met Stryka that I would be friends with a dragon…I would have had a hard time believing it. Now…I can't imagine my life without her…" she murmurs and I warble softly.

Rehearsals for our part continued for a few days. Sometimes, the story got a bit mixed up thanks to some idiots (_Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut_) adding unnecessary and made up details. "And _I _broke the Red Death's nose – with my face!" Snotlout boasted during one rehearsal before the Twins butted in. "Yeah? Well, _we _saved you from getting crushed into dust when you fell from its head!" Tuffnut said as-a-matter-of-factly. "Neither of those things happened, you three! Stick to the original story!" Astrid snapped at them. "Uh, it _totally _happened. You were just too busy being rescued by your Dragon Boy to notice," Ruffnut smirked.

Astrid's face went pink at the words '_your Dragon Boy_' but she didn't say anything.

* * *

On the last day of rehearsals, we presented as if the celebration was already happening. And, honestly, I thought the humans did very well. Not only was our story ready to be told, but the Great Hall was already smartly decorated with all the food ready to be cooked tomorrow.

"Okay, guys, that's a wrap. Great job! I'll see you all tomorrow early in the morning. We'll round up everyone in the village and…let's hope this brings some joy to everyone," Zenna said, smiling nervously, as we concluded practice. The two of us were headed back to our house when Astrid caught up with us. "Zenna, can I…talk to you in private?" she asked hesitatingly. Zenna looked at Astrid, a bit confused, but nodded. "Sure," she replied before nodding to me. "You go on ahead, Stryka. I'll catch up," she told me. **"Okay!" **I warbled and lumbered back to the Fiersomes on my own.

To my surprise, Gobber was there with Henna and Edgar.

"Ah, there she is, the young dragoness! I figured that, since Zen's got her own eye patch, it'd be a shame if you didn't get one," Gobber said and, with a smile, carefully placed an eye patch over my scar. "There, now! Now tell me that isn't a fine-looking accessory for a fine-looking lady dragon?" Gobber chuckled. "Gobber, you certainly know how to surprise me," Edgar chuckled as well. "Oh, Stryka, dear! You look wonderful!" Henna gushed. I managed to look at my reflection in a reflective stone. The eye patch blended in perfectly with my black scales, covering up the faint white scar on the right side of my face where my right eye had been taken out.

'_I LOVE IT!_' I think happily as I tackle Gobber and give him a big thank-you lick. "Oi! Geroff, ye overgrown pup with wings!" Gobber yelps while Zenna's parents merely laugh.

Zenna returns home in time to see a drool-covered Gobber off and see what he made for me. Dinner is eaten and, pretty soon, it's time for my youngling and I to go to bed. "Goodnight, Stryka," Zenna yawned, taking her eye patch off and hanging it on one side of her bed. I decided to keep mine on. **"Goodnight, Zenna…"** I purred, curling up on my stone and closing my eye. In no time, I am fast asleep and dreaming of tomorrow's celebration…which Zenna and I both hope will go well.

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**Read and review! Those 2 things really help me in writing :)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	23. Our Story Is Told

**Another chapter! Enjoy ;)**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

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**Chapter 23: Our Story Is Told**

I woke up when I felt Zenna shaking my shoulder lightly. Remembering what today was, I was up right away. "Today's the big day, girl…" Zenna mumbled, looking at me, smiling. **"Our story will finally be told…" **I rumbled in agreement, nuzzling her. When we got downstairs, Zenna's parents already have breakfast ready for all four of us.

"You and your friends sure have stepped up, love. I'm sure Stoick will be pleasantly surprised," Henna smiled warmly, serving Zenna a steaming hot bowl of oats and honey. "You _sure _you and Stryka don't want to give your mother and I a little prologue to your tale, Zen?" Edgar asked jokingly. Zenna giggled through a mouthful of oats. "Sorwy, Dad. Can'f gibb you any sfoilews…" she said with her mouth full. "Zen, no talking while your mouth's full," Henna reminded her. I couldn't help but laugh, bits of fish spraying out of my mouth onto the floor. "You too, Stryka," Henna looked at me with a knowing smile while Edgar and Zenna held in their laughter as I sheepishly closed my mouth and chewed quietly.

* * *

Once breakfast was over, all five of us headed to the Great Hall. To our surprise, Astrid and the other Riders were there with all of their dragons and had already gathered all of the villagers into the Great Hall. Stoick, and all the other adults who were in the dark about the celebration, was amazed when the party began. When the dragons were welcomed, however, one villager began to ramble on how dangerous the celebration was.

I growled when I recognized him to be that no-good coot Mildew. I remembered him from one particular day when Zenna was giving me a grand tour of Berk. We'd been in his cabbage field when he came out of his dwelling and got cross with us. He had threatened to cut off my head and mount it on his wall when Zenna told him off and called him, "A grouchy old weasel." And tattled on him to her parents. We never went near Mildew's house, which is located on the far side of the island, ever again after that.

Luckily, Zenna shut him up before any of us dragons can try to pick a fight. "If you want to miss out on the feast and have nothing but cabbage for your meals with Fungus, Mildew, you're free to leave anytime you want," Zenna said bluntly, a deadpan expression on her face. Mildew merely said, "Bah!" but stayed with his pet sheep, Fungus, bleating at his feet.

Seeing all the humans packed into one place and together eased off the tension my fellow dragons and I had been feeling. Back then, we thought humans were a solitary sort and mostly spread themselves out. Now, we knew that we were wrong. Humans, like dragons, have a strong familial connection and everyone supports each other.

I ate the fish Zenna and her friends have caught for me, Stormfly, Hookfang, Meatlug, Toothless, and Barf and Belch until we were all full while the teens feasted on meat, bread, and vegetables. Finally, after filling our bellies, we waited for our Riders to begin the tale.

Standing on a table, Zenna cleared her throat.

"Attention! Attention, everyone!"

Everyone, Viking and dragon, turned to look at her. When I sensed Zenna's anxiety, I gave her a warble and smiled at her when she looked at me. With a grateful smile for me, Zenna faced the crowd.

"Um…Well, first of all, I want to thank you all for joining us in this celebration," she said, gesturing to her friends, their dragons, and I. Once the applause died down, she resumed talking. "While our hero is, um…absent…I'm sure he would want all of us to celebrate the end of the war between Vikings and Dragons together as a tribe. I'm…pretty sure you're all wondering how in Odin's name did Hiccup and I meet our Night Furies, Toothless and Stryka _and _at the same time, discovered that everything we knew about the dragons was wrong, am I right?" she asked and murmurs of agreement were heard throughout the Hall.

"Well wonder no more because we're about to tell you."

I listened, holding onto every word my Rider said, along with all of the dragons. I could already see a few pairs of eyes going wide as Zenna told our story.

"The night Hiccup shot Toothless out of the sky, nobody believed him except for me since I was the only one to witness him shoot down a Night Fury. When dawn came, I followed him to the woods just off Raven Point. Finding Toothless ensnared in the bolas from Hiccup's Mangler was just the tip of the iceberg. I…honestly thought he was insane when he began to free him. Once the last rope was cut, Toothless pinned Hiccup to the ground! I'd left my battle sticks at home so the best weapon I could find was a broken branch. Then…I met Stryka, my best dragon friend."

I gurgled and smiled toothlessly as Zenna waved to me and I waved back, the crowd going "_Awww!_" as I padded over to Zenna to give her a lick.

_That _made everyone laugh.

"Hiccup and I spent two-and-a-half months learning all about dragons in a whole different way from Toothless and Stryka. Turns out dragons aren't the mindless beasts we all thought they were. They have favorite things, like Dragon Nip, getting scratched under their chins, and shiny objects, have dislikes such as eel and are the most affectionate creatures you'll ever know…once you earn their trust and get to know them…"

To add more fun and to help our audience really believe, Zenna, Toothless, and I reenact some of the events that had happened in the Cove. We reenacted the moment we bonded, our times playing together, and even flew up to the ceiling of the Great Hall.

Zenna was a little tired after she finished the first half of the story so Astrid and the rest of the teens took over for a little while.

"We thought the Zippleback was scared of him!" Fishlegs said enthusiastically.

"He did this weird hand thing and the Gronckle dropped to the side!" the Twins announced.

"A Nadder practically dropped to the ground like a fly when he was there!" Snotlout shouted with gusto.

Astrid's face was all red when she said her part. "When Hiccup took me out on that flight with Toothless…it was as if the whole world opened up to me. And the sky was so beautiful…" she said, smiling softly.

I could have sworn I saw Stoick and Astrid's parents look at each other and smile.

Zenna took over when it got to the battle with the Red Death. A lot of the villagers were grave as she told the story, remembering the chaos and destruction. But everyone perked up when the story became more light hearted, ending with how peace was won for both sides and a new age of peace began on Berk, which all of finished together.

"…and that about sums it up," Zenna concluded the story and sat back down in her seat.

All was silent…until Edgar and Henna began to clap, followed by Stoick and, then, everyone was applauding us.

"**We did it!" **Toothless cheered and nuzzled me. **"Yeah…Yeah, we did…" **I smiled and gave him a loving lick.

The celebration lasted all throughout the night and everyone had a grand time. Toothless, at one point, tried to stuff himself into Hiccup's empty chair to eat Stoick's leftovers. I chuckled and turned my attention to a little Viking baby girl. She was trying to catch my tail but I kept swishing it out of her grasp. When I finally let her grab hold, I lift it up slightly and she shrieked with glee.

"Cute dwagon! Fwendwy dwagon!" she gurgled. **"Oh, you are such a sweet thing," **I smile toothlessly at her and she gurgles happily once more.

When the celebration was over, Zenna gathered her friends around and they congratulated themselves for a job well done.

"I think this feast has been a success. Don't you think, guys?" she grinned.

"Yeah!"

"You bet!"

"Best party ever!"

* * *

Upon returning home, Zenna and I celebrated by jumping around our room excitedly. "We did it, Stryka! We did it, girl!" Zenna laughed as she did a little victory dance. **"Peace to our land! Peace to humans and peace to dragons! Peace to all of us!" **I warbled before Henna told us that it was time for bed.

The two of us went to sleep, happier than we've ever felt before.

* * *

**Until the next chapter, read and review :)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	24. A New Age

**Well, guys, this is the end of "Through the Eyes of A Striker". I'm sorry if I won't be doing Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon, Book of Dragons or Gift of the Night Furies. But I want to finish my other fan fiction stories before I start second semester in first year college.**

**Also, I've admittedly gotten into the Harry Potter fandom in waiting for new episodes of Race to the Edge to come out so my HTTYD passion has cooled somewhat.**

**But, don't worry. I'm still a dragonite at heart. I'm even going to start writing a Snoggletog special after I post this and I will post it on Christmas Day.**

**But, to all those who followed Stryka's story, thank you so much!**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD**

* * *

**Chapter 24: A New Age**

The next day, I woke up to find the snow melting and new grass springing up. Careful so as not to disturb my sleeping youngling, I crept out of the room and down the stairs and, gently, pushed the door open. Outside, birds were chirping and there was new life all around. '_It's spring! Yay!'_ I thought giddily and rolled around in the fresh green grass. Zenna came outside a short while later while I was sniffing these pretty yellow flowers Henna called daffodils.

"Spring is on its way, Stryka." She announced as she stroked my head. **"Judging by the newly-bloomed flowers, Zen, I think it has already arrived," **I purred as I continued to smell the daffodils and moved onto the lavender plants. Oh, if only Hiccup were awake, all four of us can go savor the sights of the spring season!

"Let's pick some flowers and give them to Hiccup." Zenna suggested. I nodded eagerly. **"An excellent idea, youngling! And I know just what flowers to give him," **I warbled and trotted over to a nearby bush. It was covered with gorgeous little pink flowers that had a very pleasant sweet fragrance. Grasping it as gently as I could by the little bit of trunk, I yanked it out! Roots and all so Hiccup can plant it near his house, too, if he wanted.

Zenna merely blinked and stared at the gaping hole in the earth while I held the bush in my mouth. "How am I going to replace that…?" she muttered, shaking her head.

Later on, I would find out that the bush I had picked out for Hiccup turned out to be one of Henna's prized plants when I heard her scold Zenna while I was having lunch.

* * *

When we got to Hiccup's place, it turns out we weren't the only ones who had plans to visit him. Before Zenna could even open the door, somebody flung it open from inside the house and smacked Zenna in the face with it! Zenna yelped while I let out a muffled (_muffled because I had a mouth full of bush_) growl as Hookfang's Rider came running out of the house and took off to Thor knows where, shouting something I couldn't quite make out.

"Damn you, Snotlout! What was that for?!" Zenna yelled angrily, looking ready to pursue him, until both of us heard what he was shouting about.

"Hiccup's waking up! _He's waking up!_"

"**What? **_**Hiccup?**_**" **I dropped the bush in shock and, with a wide-eyed Zenna, rushed inside. To my amazement Hiccup was _moving _around his bed, whimpering quietly, while Toothless watched. My mate was trembling all over, tears welling up in his beautiful green orbs, as I went over to him. **"Toothless…" **I whispered as he faced me. **"He's waking up…He's finally waking up…Thank Odin, he's waking up…" **Toothless murmured, crying out tears of joy, as I nuzzled him.

"Hiccup…?" Zenna whispered tentatively as she approached his bedside. Hiccup turned his head towards her but his eyes remained closed. "Zenna…? Leg…hurts…" he whimpered. I saw Zenna's one violet eye fill up with tears as she whispered, "Don't worry Hiccup…It'll go away…" as she gently stroked Hiccup's pale cheek.

When Hiccup stopped stirring and fell back asleep, Zenna was already in tears. **"Zenna, are you all right?" **I crooned to her softly. She didn't need to speak dragonese to know that I was worried about her for she said, "I'm okay, girl…Just a bit choked up…Oh gods, he's finally coming back around…" and gave Hiccup's small hand a squeeze.

I could tell that my Rider needed some time to clear her head so I nudged her towards the door. **"Let's go for a flight, Zen. That'll help you clear your mind," **I suggested and turned to Toothless. He smiled at Zenna and I and took his position by Hiccup's bed. **"I'll watch over him. I'm pretty sure Snotlout's already gone to get Stoick so he'll need guarding," **he told me. Nodding, I led Zenna out and we took the skies.

And our hearts were singing with joy. Hiccup was waking up, spring was here…and everything will, at last, be okay…

* * *

Slowly, but surely, Hiccup woke up from his three-month long coma. We celebrated the little things such as him being conscious for a minute, then two, then three, then four, then five and so on. And, while his memory took a while to fully recover, Zenna would keep him updated even when he would fall asleep only to wake up and not remember anything. Gothi, the old shaman lady and elder of Berk, reassured us that he would be fine. Zenna trusted Gothi and she had been true to her word because, one day, Hiccup woke up and he remembered everything.

Seeing Zenna and I both without right eyes, however, made him feel guilty. "_I'm sorry…_" he mumbled guiltily when he saw us. **"There's nothing to apologize for, Hiccup. You and Toothless both lost one an appendage that helps you move, Zenna and I both lost a right eye. We're truly equals now and that's all right with me," **I warbled while Zenna simply said, "You don't have to be sorry for anything." And gave him a hug, adding, "I promised I'd always have your back, remember?" and smiled at Hiccup, who eventually smiled back, before he fell asleep again.

Before leaving, Zenna leaned down and whispered something in Hiccup's ear. My highly sensitive ears pricked up when I heard it.

"_I'll always have your back, Hicc. Always…_"

I smiled to myself, knowing that that statement will hold true, before we left the Haddocks for another flight.

* * *

All the while, things were getting better on Berk. New dragon-friendly establishments were built and almost all of the Vikings had decided to become Dragon Riders as well. Zenna and I sure had our work cut out for us in teaching the new recruits to the Dragon Riders. Luckily, Astrid and the other Viking teens were always there to help.

Of course training during some days ended in chaos thanks to two almost miscreant Thorstons and their equally almost miscreant Hideous Zippleback. Stormfly and I were the ones usually assigned with disciplining Barf and Belch while Toothless made sure to keep an eye on Hookfang.

"**For the last time, Hook', you cannot always set fire to Snotlout's butt every time he refuses to go your way. Remember, we dragons must also listen to our Riders' decisions sometimes. When their decisions are poor, **_**that's **_**when we take the lead," **he lectured the stubborn Monstrous Nightmare for the fiftieth time one day while we watched the other Riders help Snotlout extinguish the flames on his rear. **"Aw, you're not fun…" **Hookfang grumbled. **"Hookfang, as annoying Snotlout is, he's your Rider and you have a duty to protect him and follow him. I see you set fire to his rear again today, you're going to re-experience tussling with a Night Fury. Do I make myself clear?" **I growled, having already lost most of my patience earlier while disciplining Barf and Belch, and took a threatening stance.

"**Yes, m'am!" **Hookfang gulped, behaving. Toothless gave me a look that clearly said, '_Teach me your disciplinarian ways, my great love!_' and I rolled my eye and said, **"Later." **Before helping Zenna wrap up training.

* * *

Several days later, Hiccup woke up.

Zenna and I had been helping a few villagers build a dragon house when the cry of, "Hey, look! It's Hiccup!" came up. Whipping our heads in the direction of the Haddock house, Zenna and I were overjoyed to see Hiccup awake and moving about with his father.

We bounded up the hill and reached them just in time to hear Stoick say, "Turns out all we needed was a little more of…_this_." While gesturing to all of Hiccup. "You just gestured to all of me…" Hiccup said in amazement. "Why wouldn't he? _You're _the hero, after all," Zenna said, sauntering over to him to give him a big hug. Hiccup looked at Zenna, eye patch and all, and smiled. "Buddy system, remember?" Zenna asked him coyly and they slammed hands (_a rather interesting term I had learned while watching them interact_). Gobber then came and told Hiccup, "Well, most of you. That bit's my handiwork. With a little Hiccup flair thrown in! You think it'll do?" gesturing to his metal leg. Apart from the new saddle he had made for me, Gobber had proven himself to be quite the smithy with Hiccup's prosthetic. "I might make a few tweaks," Hiccup shrugged, making everyone chuckle.

I smiled and looked around, wondering where Toothless was, before I heard scratching sounds at the door.

"**Toothless?" **I rumbled. **"Hey, Stryka! Hiccup's awake! But he told me to stay here for a bit. Mind if you can tell me what's happening out there?" **my beloved mate's voice answered.

I gave him a rundown of the events as it happened.

"That's for scaring me."

"**Okay, Astrid just came and punched Hiccup in the shoulder…"**

Hiccup managed to utter, "Wh-what? Is it always going to be like this way because…" before…

"**And Astrid just kissed him…Typical young love…always surprise kissing…" **I told Toothless, rolling my eye even though he couldn't see me do that, while Zenna and all the other Vikings whooped, hollered, and catcalled.

"…I could get used to it," Hiccup then said, smiling at Astrid, before Gobber hobbled over with a bundle that I knew contained Toothless' new gear. **"Gobber just gave him your new saddle and tail fin. You might wanna come out now!" **I told Toothless. **"Yipee! Let's get flying!" **Toothless cheered, bursting out of the house, amidst the shouts of, "_Night Fury! Get down!_" and jumped on the heads of Spitelout, Snotlout's father, and some other men to get to Hiccup.

"**What're we waiting for, Hiccup? The sky awaits us!" **Toothless growled excitedly. Hiccup, Astrid, and Zenna just laughed.

* * *

"**Ah, Astrid! And Hiccup's here! All right, this is going to be fun!" **Stormfly squawked excitedly as Astrid got on her back while Zenna gleefully clambered onto my saddle. Hiccup's new prosthetic easily latched onto the special peddle on Toothless' new saddle and the tail fin, bright red with a Viking skull painted on it, easily opened. "You ready?" Hiccup asked Toothless. **"I'm always ready, Hiccup!" **my beloved mate chuffed excitedly. "We're ready as we can be, Hiccup! _Lead the way!_" Zenna cheered as we took to the skies.

Toothless and I soared together, racing after Astrid and Stormfly, and we were having the time of our lives.

"_Yeah!_" Hiccup hollered, pumping his fist in the air.

"_Ya-hoo!_" Zenna yelled in delight.

Meatlug, who had been snoozing on a bridge, woke up when we flew past her. **"Ooh, hey! Wait for me!" **she growled, flying after us. Soon Ruffnut and Tuffnut joined us on Barf and Belch. **"A race? And you didn't invite us?" **Barf hissed playfully. **"To get back at that, we shall have you eat our dust!" **Belch snickered in agreement. Snotlout and Hookfang then added to our flight formation. **"Okay, Night Furies. Let's see if you two will still be masters of the skies after this race!" **Hookfang challenged Toothless and I.

My mate and I merely looked at each other and laughed before speeding up, leaving our friends in the dust as we soared up higher into the clouds. The sun was shining brightly and so was our future.

No more evil Queen to serve, no more need for nightly raiding of human villages, and no more being alone. Toothless and I have each other and, most of all, we have Hiccup and Zenna…our younglings and best friends for life.

'_So this is what freedom feels like…_' Toothless and I both thought as we entered a new age – an age where we were no longer known as Destin and Erika, servants of the Red Death.

In this new age, we are Toothless and Stryka…and we are _free_.

* * *

**Once again, thank you all!**

**-GuardianDragon98**


End file.
